Jo Maidment, whose partner already had a child, was denied NHS‑funded IVF in 2010. While watching her on ITV’s This Morning, George Michael arranged—through a personal assistant—to cover a cycle of treatment.
The first IVF attempt failed, but the eggs were frozen. A second cycle in 2012 succeeded, and Betsy was born two years later.
A few days after bringing Betsy home, Jo received a large bouquet bearing a card signed by “George Michael (AKA Anonymous).” The message confirmed the singer had financed the procedure.
Michael died on Christmas Day 2016 at age 53. In January 2017, Jo revealed the story on This Morning, with the disclosure approved by his family.
She also said the appearance fee from the programme was donated to Childline, underscoring the charitable nature of the gesture.