He's alive and well: my friend Christina has just bought his house (in Islington) which he's swapping for a flat in town and a house by the sea. And if you were him, wouldn't you?!
His last big hit was with your question title, and the next lines ran "Don't leave me this way
I can't survive, I can't stay alive". So if people thought he was dead I guess he started that rumour...
Jimmy's definitely alive and kicking. He did release a single in 2000 - "Why" (Almighty remixes) although this did not chart and released,on London Records,a repackaged "The very best of..." in 2001. Hoping for new material in the not too distant future !!