A brilliant new documentary revisits the making of the Wham! hit Last Christmas.
Forty years after the song was released Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgely, joins the group of real-life friends who appear in the song’s iconic video, and they return to Saas-Fee in Switzerland where it was filmed.
The documentary reunites a gang of friends who hung out in the early 1980s, and it’s revealed that George Michael and Andrew Ridgely often asked their mates to be in their music videos.
Backing singers Shirley Kemp (nee Holliman) and Helen ‘Pepsi’ DeMacque are there, they’d go one to have their own pop career as a duo. Shirley’s now husband Martin Kemp from Spandau Ballet also appeared in the video.
They’re joined by old friends Johnny Fowler and Dave Ridler who George and Andrew had met as teenagers, and Cheryl Harrison and Pat Hernandez.
Harrison, who also appears in the Wake Me Up Before You Go-go video, shares that she was invited to join Wham! but she turned it down because she was doing her hairdressing apprenticeship. Pat Hernandez, who is named checked by George Michael on Wrap Her Up – a duet with Elton John – shares that she met George Michael when she was out clubbing.
While Wham! had a huge year in 1984, for George Michael though a real measure of success would be a much sought after Christmas Number 1. Upstairs at his parent’s house one afternoon he pens Last Christmas.
Engineer Chris Porter and his assistants Paul Gommersal and Richard Moakes were the only people in the studio when the track was created by George Michael on his own.
The documentary revisits the making of the song, the filming of the video, there’s mountains of behind-the-scenes stories. The dream of nailing the Christmas Number 1 though quickly disappeared when popstars, including Wham!, joined forces to create the Band Aid project.
Along the way former journalist Neil Tennent shares his memories of the band’s earliest days, and manager Simon Napier-Bell recounts their massive global success.
Mary J Blige pops up to share how she was a massive fan of the band. Sam Smith enthuses about George Michael’s songwriting and singing skills.
Filled with delightful surprises, it’s maximum feel-good vibes all the way. This delightful documentary is completely worth getting Whamageddoned for.
Wham! Last Christmas Unwrapped airs on SBS on Wednesday 18th December at 7:30pm and will also be available on SBS On Demand.
