George Michael vowed to live up to the title of his hit song Freedom yesterday - announcing after he was let out of jail: "You will get sick of me from seeing me about."
Hours after his release from a 28-day stretch for taking drugs then crashing his car, the superstar stood defiantly at the gate of his house inviting photographers to take his picture.
The singer, 47, insisted he was "fine" and declared himself ready to face the world, saying: "There's no one in the house - the minders have gone."
Launching into an impromptu speech after emerging from the flash pad in Highgate, North London - near where he ploughed his Range Rover into a branch of Snappy Snaps - he said: "I want to be out. I want to go out.
"So if you could all take a few pictures, I'd really appreciate it. Fantastic, what a beautiful day. I just want to say thank you to everybody who supported me in there.
"It's been inspirational and I'm coming out here on my own so that you'll realise that I just want to start again. Do you know what I mean?"
Earlier - at 6.15am - the singer had been smuggled out the back way from Highpoint open prison in Suffolk after serving half of his two-month sentence.
His partner Kenny Goss - plus four minders - were with him when he arrived back at his house four hours later.
After an hour, Goss and the security men drove away.
Minutes later grinning George - clad in black jeans, a white linen shirt and sunglasses - suddenly emerged from the house.
The highly animated star - gesticulating wildly and sometimes appearing to slur his words - then made his speech, insisting: "I'm fine. The house is empty."
He remained tightlipped when asked what it was like for him in prison. Joking with cameramen, he asked them not to film him as he punched the buttons of the security keypad on his front gate.
Still refusing to answer questions, he headed back to his front door. But as he did so reporters were left bemused as he pointed to the cloudless blue sky.
The star - real-name Georgios Panayiotou - gushed: "Ooh, by the way... I've just thought of a really good idea for a song.
"It's going to be nothing to do with prison."
He was then seen staring out of an upstairs window, beaming and scratching his chin.
Earlier, his partner revealed as he headed from the house how sweet-toothed George had been tucking into candy.
Goss said: "We're glad he's home. He's had some really good sweets, sugar and good food.
"He's really happy. We are happy he is back." Goss also told how they planned to go out for a meal to celebrate George being a free man again.
That idea appeared to have bitten the dust by the time he returned later.
Gallery owner Goss announced: "I'm off to the Tate tonight but George will be staying in."
George was jailed on September 14 after pleading guilty to driving while unfit through drugs and possessing two cannabis cigarettes.
Cops had found him slumped at the wheel of his Range Rover after he rammed it into the branch of Snappy Snaps.
The former Wham! star - whose hits also include Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - arrived at jail in a £3,000 Armani suit, which he was forced to swap for humble prison togs.
He had been hoping to wear the designer threads when he was released - but last night it emerged he was horrified to find the suit had been crumpled while in storage. The multi-millionaire - who had his hair neatly clipped inside the Category C jail ready for the cameras when he was let out - was said to have been seething. A source said: "George flew into a bit of a hissy fit.
"He wanted to walk out looking his best.
"He'd had to hand over his designer clothes in exchange for his prison clothes.
"But he claimed the suit was all creased when he got it back.
"In the end he had to walk out in scruffy jeans and a T-shirt."