The British press pursued the rumours over the next few years , fuelled by Mercury 's increasingly gaunt appearance , Queen 's absence from touring , and reports from former lovers to tabloid journals . By 1990 , rumours about Mercury 's health were rife . At the 1990 Brit Awards held at the Dominion Theatre , London , on 18 February , Mercury made his final appearance on stage when he joined the rest of Queen to collect the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music . Towards the end of his life , he was routinely stalked by photographers . '' The Sun '' featured a series of articles claiming that he was ill ; a front page from November 1990 featured an image of a haggard Mercury with the headline " It 's official – Freddie is seriously ill "
1990 Brit Awards
1990 Brit Awards
Freddie Mercury