hello. this is breakfast, with naga munchetty. george michael, one of the biggest music stars of his generation, has died at the age of 53. after a string of top ten hits with wham in the 80s, he had further success as a solo artist, selling more than 100 million albums. we'll look back at his career. good morning, it's boxing day, monday the 26th of december. also today: a day of mourning in russia for the 92 people who were on board a jet which crashed into the black sea on its way to syria. we'll find out how the community in hebden bridge has recovered from boxing day floods, which left dozens of families homeless and businesses closed. everything was floating and

downstairs there was one metre high. it was about a quarter of the staircase. boxing day sales have already started online — we'll look at how changes in buying habits have affected the traditional post—christmas bargain hunt. in sport, sam allardyce takes charge of a football match for the first time since he was sacked as england manager. his new side crystal palace, will face watford in the premier league. and matt has the weather. good morning. a wild and wintry day in store. frequent snow show was in scotla nd in store. frequent snow show was in scotland and the storm konta could bring 19 mile costs of wind. for much of england and while the sun is —— the snow was gone and the sun is out. good morning. first, our main story.

one of the biggest pop stars of the 80s and 90s, george michael, has died. he was 53, and is believed to have suffered from heart failure. he rose to fame as one half of the group, wham! but went on to have a successful solo career. he sold 100 million albums worldwide and had 11 uk number ones. nick quraishi looks back at his life. # you put the bohm ballmer into my heart... suntans, bleached hair and upbeat songs propelled went to number one around the world. they even conquered china. # last christmas i gave you my heart but the very next day you gave it away. their most famous song heard every year will now have added poignancy. born in north london, george michael was 12 years old when he met andrew

ridgeley. they left school at 15 and set up wham. # and time can never mend a careless whisper his biggest hit, kellas whisper came in 1984. three years later his solo album, faith, marked a shift to serious singer songwriter. with the success came brushes with the law. an arrest falling behaviour in a public toilet in los angeles stop he had a stall in prison after crashing his car into the shop. george michael announced he was gay, later revealing he had been in the closet for yea rs revealing he had been in the closet for years to prevent his mother from worrying about a stock in 2011 he nearly died in vienna after a bout of pneumonia. but more work was in the pipeline. a collaboration and a

documentary called freedom which was due for release next month. when it came to pop music, george michael had it all, looks, voice and the ability to write a string of hits that will continue to be playful yea rs that will continue to be playful years to come. that was george michael has died at the age of 53. alex premat correspondentjoins me 110w. alex premat correspondentjoins me now. 11 o'clock last night. as christmas day. just such a sad end to christmas day, the death of a true british superstar. he was george michael, a guy who went from appearing on top of the pops with a shuttlecock down his shorts too, because of songs in his voice he had the likes of aretha franklin can to work with him. stevie wonder invited him to appearat work with him. stevie wonder invited him to appear at the apollo in harlem. maryj blige worked with him. the biggest names in american music were wanting to work with him. eltonjohn, our

music were wanting to work with him. elton john, our number one, music were wanting to work with him. eltonjohn, our number one, though let the sun go down on me. ladies and gentlemen, missed eltonjohn, he came on. and there was spell in the 19805 came on. and there was spell in the 1980s where wherever there was a big concert, george michael was there. the 70th birthday for nelson mandela. a freddie mercury troop put concert. again, his version of somebody to love showcased his vocal talents. tributes are coming in, aren't they? so many. sir eltonjohn as we would expect, one of the first he boasted a photo of himself with george. he offered words of condolences to his family and friends. the band, to run to run, 2016, the loss of another child had sold. a love and sympathy to his family. andrew ridgeley, the other half of lamb, the man who gave george michael the confidence to get

on the stage perform saying that he was heartbroken at the loss of his beloved friend. a world of music in the world at large loved him. he found a quote from george michael and quoted around it. george michael said that he believes that music is to one of the greatest gifts god gave to man. andrew originally replied that it was from god, it was from george himself. and the horrible irony that george michael saying two of the biggest christmas songs of all time, do they know it's christmas? ? by band aid and last christmas? ? by band aid and last christmas by an wham. it is still number 16 christmas by an wham. it is still number16 in the christmas by an wham. it is still number 16 in the charts at the moment. and on christmas day. thank you very much. russia is holding a day of national mourning for the 92 people who were killed when a military plane crashed in the black sea. authorities in russia say they've located the site where the plane came down yesterday, soon after it took off from sochi,

heading to syria. 0ur moscow correspondent, steve rosenberg reports. this is one of the final images of the tupolev 154 jet. it was taken by a journalist before he boarded the plane. the flight would end in tragedy. the aircraft crashed into the black sea. the russians scrambled helicopters and ships, but the search became a recovery operation. there were no survivors. the plane had taken off from a military airfield near moscow. it flew south, stopping in sochi to refuel. the final destination was syria and russia's airbase near latakia, but minutes after leaving sochi it crashed. president putin offered his condolences to the families of the victims and promised them his full support. on board were more than 60 members of the russian army's famous song and dance ensemble once known as the red army choir. they'd been due to give a concert at the russian airbase in syria. we are in shambles. we valued them.

they are our brothers, friends, colleagues, may they rest in peace. also killed in the crash, a prominent medic known to millions of russians as doctor lever. this disaster has left russia stunned and silent. the uk should leave the european single market when it exits the eu, the former governor of the bank of england has said. mervyn king told radio 4's today programme that trading under the same conditions as countries on the continent could stop britain from taking full advantage of the opportunities of brexit. i don't think it makes sense for us to pretend that we should remain in

a single market and i think there are real? is about whether it makes sense to stay in the customs union. clearly if we do that we can make oui’ clearly if we do that we can make our own trade deals with other countries. 50,000 thousand people in england at risk of type—2 diabetes could be helped by an nhs programme that's being extended from today. the advice on better nutrition and exercise had already helped 20,000 people. it forms part of a package of new measures to curb type—2 diabetes — including funding for more specialist nurses. japan's prime minister is set to visit pearl harbour, 75 years after the deadly attack that drew the united states into the second world war. shinzo abe is travelling to hawaii, where he will visit the naval base that was targeted by japanese bombers in december 1941. more than 2,000 americans, mainly military personnel, were killed in the raids. an adviser to mr abe said he was not planning to offer an apology for the attack. millions of shoppers are expected to hit the shops today as the traditional boxing day

sales get under way. however, research suggests that pre—christmas discounts — both online and on the high street — mean fewer people now turn up at big sale events. to find out more, we can speak to diane wehrle, a retail analyst, who is in our london newsroom. good morning. thank you very much for talking to us this morning. so, really, our shoppers almost oversatu rated really, our shoppers almost oversaturated with sales? you get a lot in the run—up to christmas, why go out again on boxing day? lot in the run—up to christmas, why go out again on boxing dawm lot in the run—up to christmas, why go out again on boxing day? it is more of a tradition on boxing day as anything else and ifeel what more of a tradition on boxing day as anything else and i feel what has happened what our evidence is showing as is that the christmas trading period is becoming polarised. it kicks off at the end of november and then it goes into a lull. there is some discounting between black friday and christmas as we know and people are picking up on that. but the volumes of activity in destinations, the numbers of people who visited dropping

year—on—year and that is a long—term trend. but is starting to flatten out with small decreases and then there is a big uplift on boxing day. people like boxing day because of the tradition as anything else. with the tradition as anything else. with the accessibility of being able to purchase online and avoid the crowds it is inevitable, isn't it, that we will see fewer people out physically shopping? absolutely and we have a recorded that trend since 2009. more recently however we have had a positivity about retail destinations that have come from the growth of the leisure and hospitality sector. coffee shops, restaurants etc. that pushes people back into destinations because they view shopping trips much more as a leisure activity. they are notjust going to shop and purchase because they can do that online. they do it, they go out to destinations too big and drink and meet friends and have a coffee. it is more of a broad—based shopping experience. i suppose for retailers

themselves they need to think about positioning in the environment that va ry positioning in the environment that vary in as well. absolutely. retailers are in a difficult situation. discounting came on board very strongly during the 2009 recession and of course the recession and of course the recession was much longer than we anticipated the retailers continued discounting and they got themselves into a situation now where shoppers expect discounts but what they really need to be doing is focusing on offering a fantastic shopping experience to encourage people back into stores and make them want to visit. are there any other traditional sale periods? you see so much discounting ahead of christmas even then we have boxing day and then there is new year's eve as world, new year's day thousands well. it seems as if sales are on all the time. it is a long window, isn't it? and what we have seen in terms of footfall figures is that sales have disappeared largely. when

i was young, thousand new year's day we re i was young, thousand new year's day were a big thing but we're not seeing that uplift that we once did on new year's day. it has been superseded now by black friday and boxing day. so things are shifting, things are changing but that is inevitable in retail. we get that. it moves at a slower rate sometimes we do not see it and then suddenly we do not see it and then suddenly we have evidence in front of us. things are shifting but everyone likes a discount on the problem we haveis likes a discount on the problem we have is that shoppers get very used to discount and very used to them and they expect more and more and even greater discounts. thank you very much forjoining us. time now with 13 minutes past six a.m. and you are watching breakfast. let's bring you date on the main stories. madonna and sir eltonjohn have led tributes to george michael who have passed away at the age of 53. russia begins a day of mourning for the 92 passengers and crew who died when a military plane taking them to syria

crashed into the black sea. also coming up on the programme, the year after floods devastated yorkshire, we returned to see how some residents are picking up the pieces. well, we were talking about shopping and whether or not people will be keen to get out on the streets. will the weather be good? matt, i know you are like me and you do not like going out and shopping. you are an online man. if you are spending the all—important time online man. if you are spending the all—importa nt time today online man. if you are spending the all—important time today on the high street for many across england and wales it is looking a little like this. gone is the mild weather of christmas day and the grey skies many experienced the sun is out now and it feels a lot cooler out there. a day of two halves across the uk today because while some of you enjoy the sunshine, for others there is stormy weather. the further north you are, the wilder the seas get.

that is all due to what is cold storm connor. it is as world cloudier. to the north of scotland at the moment but it is battering northern parts and men in parts of scotla nd northern parts and men in parts of scotland into 0rkney and shetland in particular. 90 mile an hour gusts possible across shetland and there isa be possible across shetland and there is a be prepared warning from the met office. some wild wind from the far north of england and northern ireland, fewer showers with a bit of sunshine and further south, the morning cloud and walter isolated showers clear it is a lovely day ahead. we continue to see showers across scotland. getting to low levels of times and still the winters gusting in excess of 60 miles an hour in the far north. these now could be mounting up, five or ten centimetres over higher ground that in northern ireland, fewer showers in the sun will be out for much of the time. showers limited to cumbria. much of england and wales has a cooler day than yesterday but a lovely sunny one in

store and it will be dry with just light winds. further patchy rain and drizzle in the north. the breeze easing down. with lighter winds and clearer skies to the southern half of the country, a widespread frost is back. temperatures in some parts of central and southern england as low as —6, maybe minus seven. it will be as —6, maybe minus seven. it will be a crisp and fresh out the tuesday. a lovely day for many. england and wales, a frosty start, lots of sunshine. sunshine in northern ireland and a better day in scotland. couple of showers in the shetland, but most sustained dry. sunny spells and temperatures down from where they should be, but it should feel fairly pleasant with light winds. high pressure is in charge and it moves into wednesday. around the centre, where the winds are lightest, in southern and eastern parts of england, here into wednesday morning we could have a

problem with fog. fog could linger and began in eastern areas. there could be problems with the airports. check for you travel. 0utbreaks could be problems with the airports. check for you travel. outbreaks of rain into scotland and northern ireland. eventually into the north—west highlands. that's how it is looking. enjoy your day and be prepared for the strong winds in northern scotland. thanks very much. it feels like a long time since we have seen blue numbers on that map. after the unusually mild christmas we have got it back, but it was only a few weeks ago we had widespread frost. of course, thanks very much. time to talk sport. happy boxing day! i wonder if it will be a happy boxing day for sam allardyce. earlier in the season, last season, he was the manager at sunderland. he has this reputation of the midas touch for keeping things up. a bit ofa touch for keeping things up. a bit of a pantomime character today. a

lot of fans will be pleased to see him back. sam allardyce will take charge of his first premier league match as crystal palace manager, at watford this afternoon. the former england boss took over at selhurst park last friday, just a day after alan pardew, was sacked. he's already got his eye on the january transfer window, and wants to keep his best players, as well as adding to the squad. rumours that may float around, but people might be interested in our players, is also of great concern when you are manager, because that is very disruptive and can put a player of his game. we don't want any of that. we are trying to make the squad a bit bigger, with more strength and depth. that would be a key area for me, but i think the players here as good enough. but if we can add to that, let's try and do

it. chelsea, who have a six—point lead at the top of the premier league, are at home to bournemouth. they'll set a new club record, if they make it 12 straight league wins against bournemouth, although they'll have to do it without n'golo ka nte and diego costa, who are suspended. they are working very well this week to try to find the solution to play good football, to continue to win, to ta ke good football, to continue to win, to take the two points. we all know that it won't be easy against bournemouth because they are very good with great organisation. it's been nearly five years since arsenal lost three games in a row in the premier league. they're faced with that prospect today. defeats to everton and manchester city have seen them slip nine points, behind chelsea, at the top and manager arsene wenger is determined to stop the rot at home to west brom this afternoon. we are ready for a fight and we want

to respond i think in 20 games we lost two, but our quality has been consistent since the start of the season and we want to respond in a strong way and in a determined way. i think everybody is focused to do that. david moyes will make his first return to old trafford as a manager this afternoon, when his struggling sunderland side take on manchester united. moyes replaced sir alex ferguson in 2013. he was proclaimed the ‘chosen one', but lasted only 10 months as united struggled under his stewardship. the current united boss, ‘the special 0ne', has sympathy for his opposite number. i don't feel it as a person, i feel a great history of the club. 0nly positive things and not negative things. in a certain period when david came the situation was not so easy, it was not so easy to go in

that direction. at the same time, andi that direction. at the same time, and i think this is even more important, the premier league was changing. in today's late game manchester city are away at hull city, who are currently bottom of the table on goal difference. pep guardiola's side are still without the suspended sergio aguero, but travel to east yorkshire having won their last two games, including a 2—1win over arsenal. iam not i am not expecting the game against hull city to be easel, for example. my hull city to be easel, for example. my feeling here is quite similar. elsewhere, burnley take on middlesbrough, champions leicester are at home to everton and relegation—threatened swansea are at home to west ham. you can keep right up to date with the action on final score on the red button, as well as on five live and the bbc sport website. and of course it is also one of the highlights of the racing calendar. the mid—season championship, the

king george v race. what a matchup. we have the defending champion against the young contender, thistlecrack. the young horse to watch out for. he has won all three races he has been in, unbeaten. and of course a big contender for the cheltenham gold cup. is it unusual there are only five? i think that is quite a low number, yes. it is a keenly contested race. iam yes. it is a keenly contested race. i am watching out for the stars of nxt! 0nly i am watching out for the stars of nxt! only one week away. thanks very much. train travellers are facing significant disruptions this week as 200 sets of engineering works planned by network rail take place. many people will be travelling by coach instead. graham satchell is at victoria coach station this morning, they imagine it is getting very busy day? hgppy day? happy boxing day! good morning. yes,

very busy. it is one of the few transport hubs in the country operating a full pretty much normal service today. boxing day is very busy for people as they go out to visit relatives, or get to the sales. football fixture list as well today. but if you are trying to get a train today you will struggle. have a quick chat to a travel expert. why are there no trains running? i think britain is the only place in the world where there are no trains on boxing day. that's not strictly true. i can give you the entire national timetable in about ten seconds. there are few trains running around the merseyrail network in liverpool and some suburban services in glasgow. the train operators say there is no demand. but here at victoria coach station, in next couple of hours bus

is leaving for aberdeen, learning, cardiff and other cities. there seems to be plenty of demand. —— birmingham. the tories have accused labour of not doing enough about this, but today the shadow transport minister has accused the tories of not doing anything. but the train operators don't have to run today, do they? no, the franchises have said to have christmas day and boxing day off and talking to the rail delivery group who represent the delivery companies and network rail say there is no demand. but here and at the airports, most of which have a pretty normal service today, suggests there is plenty of demand. and talking to gwr, which would normally run services from paddington to the west country and south wales, they say in a normal year if paddington wasn't closed over christmas we might consider bringing back boxing day services. we know there's engineering work, but that doesn't cover the whole network on the? certainly not. 9096

of the network is untouched. the chief executive of network rail says they are perfectly happy to let the trains run if the train operators ask us. so it is up to the public to demonstrate that they want to go places on boxing day. thank you very much indeed. the airports, as simon said, are open and running. not much disruption on the roads, but you will struggle if you want to get a train today. good to see you. thanks very much. this time last year, the west yorkshire town of hebden bridge was being hit by a deluge of floodwater. homes, shops, and schools were all affected and the recovery work in still going on. breakfast'sjohn maguire reported from hebden bridge last winter, and has returned to see how residents there are coping. boxing day, 2015. torrents of water smashed through hebden bridge with no respect for who, where or what they affected, nor indeed for the time of year. 12 months on and

riverside schools is receiving a visit from the children's laureate chris wood dell, who has helped flooded communities before. sketching as we talk, he says he is impressed with the attitude here. 0nce somebody comes into the communities and sees how resilient they have been in the face of some very testy and trying times, and the way that often brings communities together. the head teacher has been forced to add construction project manager to her skill set. it has been a long returned to normal. the heating system is running, but not untiljust heating system is running, but not until just before easter. heating system is running, but not untiljust before easter. the children were fantastic. as whether pa rents. children were fantastic. as whether parents. some of the children saw damage both to their school and their home. everything was crashed and broken and we couldn't find any

of our staff and there was a massive canoe and a row decking and we didn't know how that got there. that wasn't yours? no. we look downstairs and it was one metre high. it was taking upa and it was one metre high. it was taking up a quarter of the staircase. an essential part of the recovery is prevention. at this bookshop, a local mechanic has devised a way to keep the books high—end hopefully drive. devised a way to keep the books high—end hopefully drivel absolutely think that we wouldn't have survived on our own. we just all pulled together, we genuinely did. hopefully it's all behind us, the ms croft. but it does feel like you are tempting fate to say that! whether you think flooding is caused by global warming or overdevelopment, one thing for certain. when it in packs a community like this it is very much a human response. it is people that drag this town back up, that gets the businesses, schools and families back on their feet. the shops either

side were flooded. the pub that we are walking towards was flooded. and that sense of resilience, stoicism and community, that hebden bridge is renowned for, has been vital. the little things like none of the cash machines worked in town, so there was a regular series of somebody saying, well i'll drive to the next town, i'll take a bunch of people, we can go to a cash machine and get some cash. when the flood sirens sound is everybody stops and hopes not to be hit again, but if it does happen this place will deploy its best asset in the fightback, the town's people. still to come on breakfast: we're remembering george michael, who's died at the age of 53. we will talk to a producer who made

a film about him and we will talk to people about his life. earlier we spoke to our correspondent about his life. of course he collaborated with many people, including eltonjohn, aretha franklin, maryj blige. he started on as a wham! but went on to have a very successful solo career. perhaps you can e—mail us and get in touch with your memories of george michael. many people are waking up to the news now. you can e—mail us at the address below. you can also share your thoughts with other viewers on facebook and twitter about today's stories. i will be back with the headline shortly.