Category: Andrew Ridgeley

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Andrew Ridgeley Wham! Wham! in China

Andrew Ridgeley Makes Appearance at London Screening of WHAM! 10 Days in China

Andrew Ridgeley stepped back into the spotlight on July 14, 2026, for a special London screening of the new documentary WHAM! 10 Days in China.

A Documentary Revisiting a Landmark Moment

WHAM! 10 Days in China, directed by Mike Christie, explores the duo’s groundbreaking tour as the first Western pop group to perform in communist China. The film blends restored archival footage with new interviews, including Andrew’s own reflections on the cultural significance of the trip. The documentary arrives in theaters on July 28, 2026, offering fans the most comprehensive look yet at the tour that helped cement Wham!’s global legacy.

It is remarkable to see people’s first reaction to that kind of genre of music. It’s evident that some had never actually been exposed to that before.

In hindsight, being able to understand what it meant to those people, it was touching and moving and gave the whole trip a substance and meaning that perhaps didn’t have previously. I think George would feel the same way.”

Andrew Ridgeley
“‘It still catches me’ says emotional Andrew Ridgeley over losing best friend George Michael ahead of new Wham! film” – Daily Star

A Rare Step Back Into Public Life

Although Andrew has largely lived privately since the early 1990s, he has made a handful of meaningful appearances in recent years. In May 2026, he accepted the Academy Fellowship at The Ivors Awards on behalf of George Michael, sharing heartfelt reflections on what the honor would have meant to his late friend.

His appearance at the WHAM! 10 Days in China screening continues that quiet but significant pattern: Andrew emerging publicly when it matters most—when celebrating Wham!’s legacy, George Michael’s memory, and the cultural impact they made together.

Celebrate George Michael’s legacy with us. Follow Yours Only George on YouTube, Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest to be part of a community that keeps his spirit alive. Want the latest news, features, and special projects? Join our mailing list and stay connected to everything George Michael.

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Andrew Ridgeley Pepsi & Shirlie Wham!

Wham!’s The Final: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of a Pop Landmark

On June 28, 1986, 72,000 fans filled Wembley Stadium for what would become one of the most iconic farewells in pop history: Wham!’s The Final—a six‑hour celebration of joy, gratitude, and the end of an era.

Forty years later, the concert still stands as a defining moment not only for George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, but for 1980s pop culture itself.

A Farewell Announced With Love

Earlier that year, Wham! publicly confirmed they would part ways, with George Michael explaining the split as an amicable, intentional transition into adulthood and artistic independence.

June 28, 1986: Wembley Says Goodbye

The Final opened with the premiere of Wham! in China: Foreign Skies, shown on giant screens — setting a record for the largest audience ever to attend a film premiere.

A massive black curtain emblazoned with THE FINAL dropped to reveal George Michael in leather and sunglasses, launching into an extended intro of “Everything She Wants.” Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi DeMacque, and Shirlie Holliman soon joined him, kicking off a setlist that traced the full arc of Wham!’s meteoric career.

During “Bad Boys,” Pepsi and Shirlie appeared in playful bouffant wigs.

Elton John, dressed in full Ronald McDonald makeup and costume performed “Candle in the Wind.”

For the encore, Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran joined Elton John and Wham! for a final, exuberant performance of “I’m Your Man.”

The atmosphere was electric — fans waving orange program cards, George dividing the stadium into singing sections, and the duo repeatedly thanking the audience for their support.

A Day of Endings and Beginnings

In a poetic twist, Wham!’s final single “The Edge of Heaven” hit No. 1 on the UK charts the same day as the Wembley concert. It was a triumphant close to a career that had lasted just three years but reshaped the sound of 1980s pop.

George Michael, only 23, was already preparing for a more mature artistic path — one that would soon lead to Faith and global superstardom. Andrew Ridgeley, too, stepped into a new chapter, supported by the legacy they had built together.

Why The Final Still Matters 40 Years Later

Four decades on, The Final remains a cultural touchstone because it captured something rare: a pop group choosing to end at their peak, with gratitude, spectacle, and love.

It honored the fans who propelled Wham! to global success.

It showcased George Michael’s evolution into a once‑in‑a‑generation artist.

It preserved the joy, color, and optimism that defined Wham!’s music.

It demonstrated a friendship strong enough to end with celebration rather than conflict.

The images of that day — sunlight over Wembley, fans waving, George and Andrew embracing — still resonate as symbols of a band that knew exactly how to say goodbye.

A Legacy That Still Shines

As we mark the 40th anniversary of The Final, Wham!’s music continues to inspire new generations. From “Wake Me Up Before You Go‑Go” to “Everything She Wants,” their songs remain timeless, joyful, and unmistakably theirs.

And on June 28, 1986, they gave the world a farewell worthy of their legacy.

Celebrate George’s legacy with us. Follow Yours Only George on YouTube, Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest to be part of a community that keeps his spirit alive. Want the latest news, features, and special projects? Join our mailing list and stay connected to everything George.

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Andrew Ridgeley Wham! Wham! in China

Wham! 10 Days in China Tickets on Sale Today as First Trailer Released

Tickets for the theatrical release of Wham! 10 Day in China are on sale today, coinciding with the debut of the film’s first full trailer. The documentary of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s visit to China in 1985 will screen worldwide on July 28, 2026.

A First Look: The Trailer

The new trailer shows restored, never-before-seen archival footage that wasn’t in Wham! in China: Foreign Skies, including more of the infamous George Michael massage scene. It includes interviews with Andrew Ridgeley and Chinese fans who experienced Wham! concerts in China.

Tickets Now Available

Tickets for the one-night-only event are on sale today. The official site is a good place to start for ticket information: www.wham10daysinchina.com.

After Theaters

Following the worldwide debut on July 28, 2026, Wham! 10 Days in China will air on BBC Two this summer. There is no word yet on other sources to see the documentary.

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Andrew Ridgeley Wham! in China

Wham! 10 Days in China: Revisiting a Pop Revolution 40 Years Later

On July 28, 2026, Wham! fans will be able to see the new, cinematic telling of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s extraordinary trip to China entitled: Wham! 10 Days in China.

The 90-minute documentary, directed by Mike Christie, brings newly-digitized, restored footage and new interviews in celebration of Wham!’s groundbreaking 1985 visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Tickets will go on sale on June 24, 2026.

A new website — wham10daysinchina.com — is available with additional information.

Also, BBC Two and BBC Music will present the world exclusive terrestrial TV broadcast of Wham! 10 Days in China this summer.

In April 1985, Wham! became the first Western pop act to perform in communist China, with performances in Beijing and Guangzhou. For Wham! it was a strategy to “make it big” in the U.S., with the help of Simon Napier-Bell, their then manager.

Filmmaker Lindsay Anderson was originally in charge of the Wham! in China documentary. His version, entitled If You Were There, was never released, but some of that material was used in the documentary, Wham! in China: Foreign Skies, which premiered at Wham!’s The Final farewell concert on June 28, 1986. It was then released on video.

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Celebrate George’s legacy with us. Follow Yours Only George on YouTube, Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest to be part of a community that keeps his spirit alive. Want the latest news, features, and special projects? Join our mailing list and stay connected to everything George.

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Andrew Ridgeley Awards

George Michael Awarded Fellowship of The Ivors Academy: A Legacy Honored

George Michael Fellowship of The Ivors Academy

George Michael’s extraordinary songwriting legacy has been recognized with one of the highest honors in British music: induction into the Fellowship of The Ivors Academy at this year’s Ivor Novello Awards. The Fellowship, reserved for the most influential and enduring contributors to the craft of songwriting, places George among a select group of creators whose work has shaped the cultural and emotional landscape of generations.

A Moment of Pride, Friendship, and Recognition

Andrew Ridgeley, who co‑founded Wham! with George and shared the earliest chapters of his musical journey, spoke with deep affection about what this honor would have meant to him while accepting the award. He described the Fellowship as an accolade George would have been “immensely proud” to receive, noting that George held the craft of songwriting in the highest regard.

It’s an honor and a privilege to bear witness to his work full stop, and to accept on his behalf. He would have been immensely proud to be recognized by the academy in this way, to be placed amongst some of the finest songwriters.

A great moment, and very, very touching indeed, and he would have been extremely moved.

Andrew Ridgeley

A Songwriting Legacy Without Equal

The Ivors Academy highlighted what fans and fellow musicians have long known: George Michael was not only a global superstar, but one of Britain’s most gifted and influential songwriters.

He remains the only solo songwriter to have won the prestigious Ivor Novello Songwriter of the Year award three times — a testament to his mastery of melody, lyricism, and emotional truth.

Why This Honor Matters: George’s Own Words

George often spoke about how deeply he valued recognition from fellow songwriters. When he won his very first Ivor Novello Award, he described the moment with striking honesty:

It was the first proper sign from within the industry that what I was doing was actually worthwhile. And that was the reason that I got so emotional.

George Michael

That early validation stayed with him throughout his life. It shaped his understanding of his craft, his confidence as a writer, and his belief that songs could be both personal and universal.

To see him now inducted into the Fellowship — the highest honor The Ivors Academy can bestow — feels like the natural culmination of that journey.

Celebrating Excellence in the Craft

The Ivors Academy described the Fellowship as a celebration of George’s excellence and impact in the art and craft of music creation, as well as his enduring influence worldwide. It is a recognition not only of his chart success, but of the depth and integrity of his songwriting — qualities that continue to inspire new generations of artists.

A Fitting Tribute to a Timeless Artist

George Michael’s induction into the Fellowship of The Ivors Academy is more than an award. It is a statement about legacy — about the power of songs that continue to comfort, challenge, uplift, and connect people long after their creator is gone.

It is also a reminder of the man behind the music: brilliant, generous, complex, and endlessly creative.

George Michael’s voice, his words, and his spirit continue to echo. And now, with this Fellowship, his place among the greatest songwriters of all time is formally, and forever, affirmed.

Celebrate George’s legacy with us. Follow Yours Only George on Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest to be part of a community that keeps his spirit alive. Want the latest news, features, and special projects? Join our mailing list and stay connected to everything George.