The 40th anniversary of Wham!’s festive classic Last Christmas will be marked by the BBC with a TV special.
BBC Two and BBC Music will present Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped, an hour-long film in collaboration with Blink Films and Sony Music Entertainment, and in association with Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael Entertainment.
Last Christmas has amassed four billion audio streams and one billion video views, reaching six times platinum sales in the UK and USA, and the No.1 chart position in 16 countries.
Described as a “nostalgic film brimming with memories”, the special will be broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in December. It reunites a cast of characters from the song’s illustrious history.
Featuring artists including Mary J Blige, Sir Bob Geldof, Neil Tennant and Sam Smith, as well as music producers and industry experts, the Christmas TV special promises to reveal the inside story of Last Christmas’ creation and its enduring appeal.
The special will include new interviews with Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi DeMacque-Crockett and Shirlie Kemp, as well as archive radio and video footage of George Michael.
The show includes rare and exclusive archive footage, including a world exclusive first broadcast of George Michael performing Last Christmas at Wembley Arena in December 2006, never seen before outtakes from the original 35mm music video footage and personal photographs.
Andrew Ridgeley said: “It’s a privilege, 40 years on, to be able to have this opportunity to celebrate Wham!’s wonderful and enduring musical homage to Christmas and I’m absolutely thrilled that Wham! in partnership with the BBC will present this joyful and touching tribute to the nation this Christmas. Christmas was a special time of year for George and Christmas songs were a special type of song for him too and that was why he considered writing a Christmas classic one of the great achievements of his career. Only he will ever know quite what inspired him to such dizzying heights, but his songwriting genius led him to distil the quintessential essence of Christmas into a song whose breadth of appeal spans the generations.
“Revisiting Saas Fee, four decades on, with some of the closest friends of my youth was a very special experience and one which I know Yog would have loved to have shared in.”
It’s a privilege, 40 years on, to be able to have this opportunity to celebrate Wham!’s wonderful and enduring musical homage to Christmas
Andrew Ridgeley
In a statement, George Michael Entertainment said: “Last Christmas remains as iconic today as it was 40 years ago, continuing to capture the essence of Christmas with the same magic and emotion. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the song, a true testament to George Michael’s songwriting brilliance. A timeless holiday classic, it holds a place among the greatest Christmas songs ever written, resonating with listeners of all ages and inspiring new generations today as it did 40 years ago.
“As we celebrate this incredible milestone, we are proud to be involved in this heartfelt tribute to the song, the video, and those involved. It offers fans the chance to relive the magic and gain fresh insight into the making of this beloved masterpiece, allowing us to share its enduring legacy with the public and fans around the world.”
Jonathan Rothery, head of commissioning, BBC Pop Music TV, said: “Last Christmas is a flawless festive song that has stood the test of time. I’m delighted that the BBC is celebrating its 40th anniversary, who doesn’t want to spend an hour in the winter wonderland of Wham! with George, Andrew, Pepsi and Shirlie?”
Last Christmas finally topped the UK charts on January 1, 2021, 36 years after its 1984 release. Three years later, it became the official UK Christmas No.1 (the sixth occasion it had topped the UK chart, followed by a subsequent week at the summit).
In partnership with Sony Music Vision and Sony Music Entertainment UK, the feature documentary was acquired by Jonathan Rothery at the BBC. It is produced by Blink Films with Justine Kershaw and Laura Jones serving as producers, with Nigel Cole directing.
Sony Pictures Entertainment handles distribution outside of the UK.
Read Music Week’s digital cover story with Andrew Ridgeley on the Wham! catalogue.
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