25 November 2022
Newsdesk
Former Wham member and singer Andrew Ridgely joined Magic Radio Breakfast to talk about the 40th anniversary of Wham, some of his favourite things about the Christmas holiday and to launch Magic 100% Christmas across the station.
Chatting to Breakfast presenters Ronan and Harriet about his former bandmate and friend George Michael, Ridgely revealed that during the Christmas season him and George used to go Christmas carolling together, surprising unsuspecting families each year.
“One of the most spectacular things I ever did around Christmas was play Wembley on Christmas Eve. George and I as Wham had a tour in 1984, we played five or six nights right through Christmas. It was probably one of the few years that we didn’t go out Christmas carolling, much I imagine to the consternation of some households who couldn’t quite believe they had WHAM! Plus, entourage singing Christmas carols there in front of them.”
The singer also admitted that Christmas has mixed emotions for himself these days. “Obviously it will be an anniversary Christmas day and that lends a sadness to Christmas. We try and look on the positives and what was life affirming about George, and his work and his songs and we have great memories. His friends of Christmas, larking about and Christmas parties they were always outstanding.”
Having met at a young age, the duo often spent a lot of time together over the holidays and Andrew recalled the strength of their relationship. “We were schoolboy best friends, and that relationship had a bond that was strong right through our lives, so we meant a lot to each other, and we did spend a lot of time together through our professional career and then at social times like Christmas so lots of good times there.”
Whilst talking about the bands successful career Ronan and Harriet couldn’t resist asking Andrew about Lewis Capalidi’s recent video homage to Club Tropicana. Admitting that he had seen the video Andrew said “It is amazing how faithful it is to the original in that frame-by-frame nature. You stop it at any point, there was a comparison I think, that Sony did, but you could see it is exactly every detail and accuracy.”
Magic 100% Christmas launched on Friday 25th of November, which means the station will be playing non-stop Christmas songs until midnight on the 26th December.
