Cher and Boy George lead tributes to Meat Loaf

Cher and Boy George have paid tribute to Meat Loaf on social media following his death.

The Bat Out of Hell rocker passed away on Thursday night aged 74, his family announced via Facebook on Friday. His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes on social media from the likes of Cher, who duetted with Meat Loaf on the 1981 song Dead Ringer for Love.

“Had So Much Fun With Meatloaf When We Did ‘Dead Ringer’. Am Very Sorry For His Family,Friends,& Fans. Am I imagining It, or Are Amazing Ppl In The Arts Dying every other Day?!” Cher wrote on Twitter.

Culture Club frontman Boy George shared a fun anecdote about the singer in his tribute, writing, “R.I.P Meatloaf. Love and prayers to all his family and close friends. He once turned me upside down in a Chinese Restaurant in (London neighbourhood) St Johns Wood.”

Actor and comedian Stephen Fry shared a video of him and Meat Loaf performing a comedy sketch on Saturday Live in the 1980s alongside the caption, “I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light. Had a fun time performing a sketch with him way back in the last century.”

In a separate tweet, he added that the rocker “had the quality of being simultaneously frightening and cuddly, which is rare and rather wonderful.”

Singer Adam Lambert described Meat Loaf as a “gentle hearted powerhouse rockstar” who made “iconic” music, and added, “I’m sure you’re singing concerts in the great beyond.”

Theatre mogul Andrew Lloyd Webber referred to the death of fellow composer Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf’s frequent collaborator, in his tribute.

“The vaults of heaven will be ringing with rock. RIP Meatloaf. Give my best to Jim. – ALW,” he wrote. Steinman died in April last year.

Editors at TMZ have reported that Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, had been “seriously ill” with Covid-19 before he died, but this has not been confirmed.