George Michael has been released from hospital and is flying back to England today. The 48-year-old pop star has been receiving treatment for pneumonia at the AKH clinic in Vienna, Austria, for weeks but after making a recovery from the illness he was discharged from the medical center at 8:00am and was taken straight to the airport so he can be at home for Christmas.

"He's feeling a lot better. He's doing so well, he's able to fly again," said a hospital staff member told Austrian newspaper Osterreich.

Yesterday, the singer's doctors revealed he was feeling much better and had responded well to treatment. Christoph Zielinski - one of his doctors - said, "We know he's doing fine and we are generally optimistic."

Last week, the singer's boyfriend Fadi Fawaz claimed the pop superstar would be flying back to England for Christmas: "Christmas at home. I cannot stop smiling today, the best day ever. He is getting better and better. Nothing to worry about, happy days."

George had to cancel all the remaining shows on his Symphonica Tour when he fell ill in November.