Andrew Ridgeley shares memories of George Michael and the impact of Last Christmas in a new documentary airing soon
London: So, Last Christmas by Wham! is like the ultimate holiday jam, right? It’s been around since 1984 and still gets played everywhere. A new BBC Two documentary is diving into how this classic came to be and why it still resonates today. Can you believe it’s racked up four billion audio streams? That’s wild!
The doc will air on December 14, and Andrew Ridgeley is chatting about it. He’s been pretty open about how tough it was to listen to Last Christmas after George Michael passed away on Christmas Day in 2016. It’s been 40 years since the song dropped, and he admits it took him a while to enjoy it again.
He told Vernon Kay on Radio 2 that for a couple of years, it was hard to hear the song. But now, it brings back happy memories of Christmas and their time together as Wham!. It’s a reminder of the good times they had, which is really sweet.
Last Christmas only hit number one in the UK in 2021, which is kind of crazy considering how iconic it is. Ridgeley reflected on its lasting charm during his chat with Kay. He mentioned how George wanted to capture the essence of Christmas in the song, and it really does that for so many people.
He also talked about how the song evokes different feelings for everyone, from heartbreak to love. It’s like a Christmas blanket that wraps around you, no matter what your memories are.
Fun fact: Last Christmas was actually beaten to number one in 1984 by Band Aid’s charity single. Ridgeley feels like it’s been a long time since the song came out, but when he hears it, it feels fresh, like it was just yesterday.
Andrew is super proud of George for writing a song that’s become a holiday staple. They were childhood friends, and he shared a cute story about how he nicknamed George “Yog” because of his Greek roots. It’s a little nod to their friendship that fans love to hear about.
After Wham!, George had a stellar solo career, but he also faced some tough times. Despite everything, he kept his sense of humor and stayed close with Andrew. They hung out right before George passed away, playing Scrabble and just enjoying each other’s company. Losing him was hard for Andrew, but he chooses to remember the good times they shared.
So, mark your calendars for December 14 to catch Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped on BBC Two. It’s bound to be a nostalgic trip down memory lane!