Boy George is paying for the funeral of his friend and fellow '80s pop star Pete Burns, after Burns' family revealed they were struggling to afford the service.

George made the generous offer when it looked like Burns' ex-husband, Michael Simpson, and ex-wife, Lynne Corlett, couldn't afford a proper send-off. “He was one of our great true eccentrics and such a big part of my life," said the "Karma Chameleon" singer.

Media reports claim Burns was broke when he suffered a massive cardiac arrest on October 24.

“It is very sad, but Pete died absolutely penniless and there is no money for a funeral," a source told The Sun.

“It is a very generous gesture—and typical of George," said the source. "As soon as he heard there was a problem he did not hesitate to sort it out. He was devastated by the news and Pete was a great friend of his."

Burns married stylist Corlett in 1980, though the two split after 25 years. He married Simpson in 2006, and all three remained close until his death.

“At one point Lynne and Michael were discussing with Pete’s friends setting up a crowdfunding page to pay for it," the source added.

"But people were not happy about that as they thought it would be undignified for Pete."