David Bowie's secret plan before death unveiled

David Bowie was secretly working on a musical before he passed away.

The legendary music star, who died of cancer in January 2016, shortly after the release of his album Blackstar, was working on an "18th century musical" called The Spectator before passing away.

This was David’s well-kept secret that even his closest collaborators were not aware of it, but notes were found locked in his study and have now been donated to the V+A Museum.

BBC has now shared David’s interest I the development or art and satire in 18th century London as well as stories of criminals including the notorious thief “Honest” Jack Sheppard.

Dozens of sticky notes were filled with ideas for the production and could be moved around to create a structure, and were found in his office - for which only the Heroes singer and his personal assistant had a key.

Madeleine Haddon, the collection's lead curator, said: "We even have the desk [where he worked] at the Storehouse, as well."

One note depicted David imagining the aftermath of a public hanging "with surgeons fighting over corpses,” while he marveled over the possibility of making petty thief Jack one of the main characters, and another potential plot involved a "central figure" being attacked by a notorious gang known as the Mohocks.

Madeleine believes it is possible the Space Oddity hitmaker wanted to compare the Enlightenment with politics of the modern day.

She said: "He was interested in the development of musicals themselves in London in this period, and how musicals were used for political satire, particularly towards the Robert Walpole government.”

"It seems he was thinking, 'What is the role of artists within this period? How are artists creating a kind of satirical commentary?'”

"It's interesting to think that Bowie was working on this in the US in 2015, with the political situation that was taking place there. Was he thinking about that: The power of art forms to create change within our own political moment?" she concluded.