HE'S cut off the plaits and toned down the blusher - yet Boy George has never been more popular.

These days, the lead singer of Culture Club - a top band of the Eighties - is in great demand. He's carved out a new career as a TV presenter, writer and club DJ.

And the outspoken Londoner is also a favourite guest on chat shows, giving Mrs Merton a run for her money.

Despite enjoying massive success with Culture Club, Boy George's memories of those days aren't always good.

"I watched a documentary about me and the group on TV recently. Some of it centred around drugs and my relationship with Jon Moss, the drummer.

Coming Out

"Some parts really made me laugh, but the stuff with the drugs was very upsetting and I couldn't watch it," he admits to Teletext on the Web.

Boy George knew from an early age that he was gay and has never been ashamed to admit it.

"I was 15 when I came out to my family, although it was an enforced coming out. I was arrested when I went to meet someone I'd been seeing.

"The police found letters from him and then called my parents and showed them. They were amazingly resilient and dealt with it really well," he tells Teletext on the Web.

Boy George is fast becoming one the top international DJs on the club scene - not bad for someone who first found fame making, not playing, the records.

But his singing career isn't yet over. "I've just done some of the soundtrack to a film, Welcome To Woop Woop, a black comedy from the makers of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.

International DJ

"It might well be released as a single because it's very poppy," he says.

For Hallowe'en, George will be guest DJ at a bash marking the 20th anniversary of the Sex Pistols' infamous debut.

After standing in as presenter of C5's entertainment show Exclusive, he's a sought-after frontman. But he's wary of doing too much work on TV.

"I did Exclusive for a week, which was great, but I don't want to be on the telly all the time. I don't want to be Roger Melly on the telly!" he says.

Boy George (born George O'Dowd) is a familiar face on screen now, but isn't too keen on a full-time TV career.

"It usually means the death of a singing career," he says. But he admits he's talking to the BBC about doing his own show.