Boy George has moved on from his criminal past and isn't concerned about his prison stint being raised in the jungle, his former partner claims.
Michael Dunne was in a relationship with the pop star, 61, for over a decade and the pair have stayed close ever since.
The Culture Club singer was jailed in 2009 over an attack on Audun Carlsen, after handcuffed the man to a wall during a drug-crazed night.
George pleaded not guilty to false imprisonment and has always denied a court claim that he beat Audun with a chain.
But he was convicted of assault and false imprisonment and jailed for 15 months.
Boy George, real name George O’Dowd, has said he was high on cocaine and having a psychotic episode at the time of the attack.
He sought treatment afterwards and has been drug-free since.
Now his former lover says he has done his time, moved on and has become a better person.
"My view is that he has a very strong recovery. He's got strong people around him who love and support him," ex Michael, 61, told MailOnline.
"What happened in the past is in the past for him. He's done his time and has moved on. He's got a really strong recovery platform and that's a really key for him.
"He's got lots of friends in recovery, me included, and he's got his management team who are fantastic and his family around him. He has the support network and that's the main thing that keeps you going."
In 2017 , the singing star appeared on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories and broke down talking of the event.
He said: “I sent myself to prison. I told police why I did what I did. I was having a psychotic episode.
"I was a drug addict so I can’t say my reasons for doing it were founded in any way. But I told the truth. I have always denied beating the guy.”
He also claimed he was beaten up in jail for being gay.
But that didn't stop Audun saying he has little sympathy as the star earns a reported £500,000 for heading to the jungle.
He told the Mirror: “Had I been a woman and he did what he did, he would never have been given the platform. It’s hurtful that big organisations like ITV give him that platform.
“I think giving him this sort of platform and a record fee sends the wrong message to survivors of violence and abuse and is plain wrong.”
He added: “I still see the monster that he is every time I see him. He hasn’t changed. I’m not going to watch I’m A Celeb, and I love that show. I might watch him doing a Bushtucker Trial.
"But I won’t vote for him, I won’t participate. Being in there is too easy for him. When it gets scary he can say ‘I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here’. I couldn’t do that when I was chained to his wall.”
*I'm A Celebrity airs tonight at 9pm on ITV
