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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.

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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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Legacy Personal

Remembering George Michael on his 63rd Birthday

George Michael's 63rd birthday

June 25, 2026 — Ten Birthdays without George Michael in our World

George Michael’s songwriting and singing was a gift of which we all wanted more. We wanted decades more of pop hits, thought-provoking lyrics, and up-beat dance songs we could enjoy.

Sadly, that was not to be.

While he was alive, George Michael’s birthday was a day to be happy for George and think about all the music that was to come. We always wanted more music. We still do.

As we hear about The Faith Tour Film and the Wham! 10 Days in China documentary, those are exciting moments that will be forgotten by next year.

But the days of June 25th and December 25th are the meaningful days for a George Michael fan. They are days that we consider how much George Michael gave us and the world. And they are days of sadness of what will never be.

We are all so very fortunate that George Michael lives on through his music — that there will always be a part of him for us and generations to come.

And that songwriting legacy is what George Michael always wanted.

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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Additional information is available in:

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.