Andrew Ridgely wants to “elevate the Wham! legacy”.
The 61-year-old singer has largely stayed out of the spotlight since he and late bandmate George Michael went their separate ways in 1996 but following the passing of the ‘Careless Whisper’ hitmaker in 2016, Andrew feels obliged to help promote important projects and commemorate their milestones.
He told Britain’s HELLO! Magazine: “I haven’t watched TV since 2020, when I switched off the news over COVID-19.
“I watch a bit of sport, but I’m so uninterested in fame – it’s of no consequence to the way I want to live my life.
“It’s an ambition of mine to elevate the Wham! legacy for the fans.
“Fame is a bit of a burden, but it’s not the worst hardship in the world and I understand it would be irresponsible not to be the representative for Wham! because I was in the band.”
Andrew and backing singers Pepsie DeMacque-Crockett and Shirlie Kemp recently returned to Saas-Fee in Switzerland, where the ‘Last Christmas’ video was filmed for a new documentary, and though they had a “wonderful” time, they missed the presence of their late friend.
Andrew said: “We had a wonderful time and recreating those scenes felt like yesterday.
“But it was incomplete because Yog wasn’t with us.
“I think enough time has passed that we’re able to reminisce and look back largely with fondness.
“He would have wanted us to enjoy being with each other, even if he wasn’t there.””
Andrew recalled how shooting the original video was “so much fun”.
He said: “There was a lot that would have made for quite hair-raising outtakes.
“When George and I arrived, the others had been enjoying the bar and it was already quite raucous.
“We were friends having a wonderful time and there was a real sense of togetherness, enjoyment and laughter – the carefree joys of youth.”