Boy George (born George Alan O'Dowd) is an English singer, songwriter, DJ and fashion designer. He is the lead singer of the Grammy and Brit Award-winning pop band Culture Club. At the height of the band's fame, during the 1980s, they recorded global hit songs such as "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", "Time (Clock of the Heart)" and "Karma Chameleon" and George is known for his soulful voice and androgynous appearance. He was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the late 1970s to the early 1980s.
His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by rhythm and blues and reggae. He was lead singer of Jesus Loves You during the period 1989–1992. His 1990s and 2000s-era solo music has glam influences, such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop. More recently, he has released fewer music recordings, splitting his time between songwriting, DJing, writing books, designing clothes, and photography. In 2015, Boy George received an Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for Outstanding Services to British Music.
On 5 December 2008, George Alan O'Dowd (Boy George) was convicted in Snaresbrook Crown Court, London, of the April 2007 assault and false imprisonment of Audun Carlsen, a Norwegian model and male escort. On 16 January 2009, he was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment for these offences
Known For
Christmas Karma
2025
Boy George & Culture Club
Self
2025
The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas?
Self
2024
Arthur's Whisky
Boy George
2024
Camden
Self · (1 episode)
2024
Selling Super Houses
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2023
WHAM!
Self (archive footage)
2023
Let the Canary Sing
Self
2023
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2022
Blitzed: The 80's Blitz Kids Story
Self
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022
Joe Lycett's Big Pride Party
Self - Music
2022
An Audience with Adele
Self
2021
The Big Deal
Judge · (6 episodes)
2021
Kim Wilde: Pop Don't Stop - Greatest Hits
Self
2021
Larry's Garage
Self
2020
Long Hot Summers: The Story of The Style Council
Self
2020
TV Story Superstar
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2020
Mark Ronson: From the Heart
Self
2019
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2019
Boy George & Culture Club - Berlin Live
Self - Singer
2018
Duran Duran: There's Something You Should Know
Self
2018
Studio 54
Self (archive footage)
2018
The Launch
Self - Mentor · (1 episode)
2018
Culture Club - Live at Wembley World Tour 2016
Self - Singer
2017
Drop the Mic
Self · (1 episode)
2017
All Round to Mrs. Brown's
Self - Interviewed Guest · (1 episode)
2017
Boy George's 1970s: Save Me From Suburbia
Self
2016
Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2016
I Am Cait
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Lip Sync Battle
Self - Guest DJ · (1 episode)
2015
Boy George and Culture Club: Karma to Calamity
Self
2015
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Self
2014
Secrets Of Burlesque
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (1 episode)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Gogglebox
Self · (1 episode)
2013
The Voice
Self · (40 episodes)
2012
The Voice
Self - Coach · (21 episodes)
2012
The Voice UK
Self - Coach · (15 episodes)
2012
Best of Night of the Proms Vol. 5
Self
2011
Berlin Live
Self - Performer · (1 episode)
2011
OK! TV
Self · (1 episode)
2011
The House That Made Me
Self · (4 episodes)
2010
The Project
(1 episode)
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (4 episodes)
2009
Alan Carr: Chatty Man
Self · (1 episode)
2009
Svengali
Self
2009
Living With
(1 episode)
2008
Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of the 80s
Self (archive footage)
2007
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Self · (1 episode)
2007
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
Self · (1 episode)
2007
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
Self
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2007
Twice Upon a Time
Battar crooner
2006
Paul Weller: Into Tomorrow
Self
2006
The Madness of Boy George
Self
2006
The One Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2006
8 Out of 10 Cats
Self · (1 episode)
2005
The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch
Self
2005
The Friday Night Project
Self - Host · (1 episode)
2005
Michael Lucas' Dangerous Liaisons
Self - Non-sexual Role
2005
George Michael: A Different Story
Self
2004
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
2004
Back To The 80's - Live In Concert
Self (archive footage)
2004
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Kinky Gerlinky
Self
2003
The Salon
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Culture Club Live At The Royal Albert Hall 20th Anniversary Concert
Self
2002
Greatest Hits of the 70's & 80's
Self (archive footage)
2002
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Self · (17 episodes)
2002
Party in the Park 1999
Self
2002
The Legend of Leigh Bowery
Self
2002
Johnny Vaughan Tonight
Self · (1 episode)
2002
The New Romantics: A Fine Romance
Self
2001
You Only Live Once
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2000
The Chemical Generation
Self - Narrator
2000
Where Are They Now?
Self · (1 episode)
1999
After Stonewall
Self
1999
It's Only TV But I Like It
Self · (1 episode)
1999
The Wolves of Kromer
The Narrator
1998
So Graham Norton
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1998
Behind the Music
Self · (1 episode)
1997
The View
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Self - Team Member · (1 episode)
1996
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Self · (2 episodes)
1996
Clive Anderson All Talk
Self · (1 episode)
1996
The Frank Skinner Show
Self · (1 episode)
1995
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
Self
1995
The Mrs Merton Show
Self · (1 episode)
1995
RuPaul's Christmas Ball
Self
1993
The Boy Next Door: A Profile of Boy George
Self
1993
Dorothée : Le cadeau de la rentrée
Self
1992
Les Nuls, l'émission
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1990
Total Normal
Self · (1 episode)
1989
Na siehste!
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Lahaye d'honneur
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Le monde est à vous
Self · (2 episodes)
1987
Sacrée soirée
Self · (6 episodes)
1987
The Max Headroom Show
Self · (1 episode)
1985
Culture Club: A Kiss Across the Ocean
Self
1984
Smash! The Culture Club Story
Self
Fast Forward
Dancer in Club (uncredited)
1985
'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video
Self
1984
Al TV
Self · (1 episode)
1984
The A-Team
Boy George · (1 episode)
1983
Wogan
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Champs-Elysées
Self · (3 episodes)
1982
Champs-Elysées
Self - Culture Club · (3 episodes)
1982
Entertainment Tonight
Self · (1 episode)
1981
Okay
Self · (1 episode)
1979
Question Time
Self - Panellist · (1 episode)
1979
Steppin' Out
Self
1979
An Audience with...
Self · (3 episodes)
1978