He started singing first in his school choir and later in Benjamin Britten's Let's Make an Opera. He left school at 15 to tour in the Britten production. In 1962, he began to emerge as a star with credits in The War Lover and a stage production of the Neil Simon comedy, Come Blow Your Horn. A BBC television series and further films followed, and in 1967 he made his Broadway debut in the two plays, White Lies and Black Comedy.During the period which followed, he had a streak of film disappointments. The tensions allegedly contributed to his divorce from his wife, Gabrielle, with whom he had two daughters, Lucy and Emma. He remains, by all accounts, close to his family.

In 1971, his career revived with a stage farce, No Sex, Please We're British and a BBC TV series, Some Mothers Do Ave 'Em, his most famous role before Phantom. Next came more stage, another TV series, and another film. In 1981, he started a four year run in the stage musical, Barnum, for his performance in which he won an Olivier.

In 1986, Michael created the role for which he would become internationally and permanently famous. His Phantom of the Opera was noted for a hypnotic voice and a romantic interpretation that did not shy away from either the Phantom's rage or his agonized sexuality. For his Phantom, Michael garnered an Olivier Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, the Drama Desk Award, the Drama League Award, the Drama-Logue Award, the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, and the celebrated Tony for Best Actor in a Musical.

Michael then launched a recording career. In 1995, Michael signed on to perform the leading roles in a new Las Vegas extravaganza, EFX! The $40 million production, written especially for Michael (and at some points, by Michael), is currently playing at the MGM Grand. Michael left EFX in the fall of 1996, due to the return of a hip/groin injury incurred earlier in the difficult physical stunts of the show. He filed suit for termination of his contract and physical problems allegedly incurred as a result of his work there. (N.B., it seems the case settled out of court.) Michael has since been occupied with concerts and albums, and has released an autobiography, "Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With a String," in the UK. No US release is currently planned.