BBC TWO and BBC MUSIC present WHAM!: Last Christmas Unwrapped

29 October 2024 - Press release

 

 

This Christmas, in celebration of its 40^th anniversary, BBC Two and BBC Music presents WHAM!: Last Christmas Unwrapped – an hour-long celebration from Blink Films and Sony Music Entertainment, in association with Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael Entertainment, of a latter-day Christmas classic, telling the story of how George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s WHAM! turned one song into a cultural phenomenon. 

WHAM!’s Last Christmas is one of the all-time great festive songs, gaining four billion audio streams, one billion video views, reaching six times Platinum sales in the UK and USA, and the Number One chart position in 16 countries.

A nostalgic film brimming with memories, this special, to be broadcast on BBC TWO and BBC iPlayer in December, reunites a cast of characters from the song’s illustrious history. Featuring prominent artists, music producers and industry experts, the Christmas TV special delves into the compelling inside story of Last Christmas’ creation and its enduring appeal.

From George Michael’s creative brilliance to the long-held secrets behind the much-loved magical music video, Last Christmas explores what these achievements meant to George and Andrew during this pivotal year for WHAM! Pop fans will see new interviews from Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi DeMacque-Crockett and Shirlie Kemp, and we hear from George, who passed away on Christmas Day in 2016, via archive radio and video footage.

The charming film features a once in a lifetime reunion with some of the genuine group of close friends from the original music video, set against the stunning snow-covered backdrop of Saas-Fee in Switzerland. We’ll see Andrew, Pepsi, Shirlie, and friends revisit the video locations (including the ski lift and instantly recognisable alpine chalet), revealing exclusive, never-before-heard stories from the video that have remained a group secret – until now. We hear from the Mayor of Saas-Fee, who 40 years ago, was the band’s driver during the shoot and discover what happened to the iconic diamanté brooch which featured in the video. 

Pop fans will delight in a musical and lyrical analysis of Last Christmas, as well as new interviews with WHAM! fans and friends, including Mary J Blige, Sir Bob Geldof, Neil Tennant and Sam Smith, who give their views on the song’s themes of unrequited love and loss.   

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 George and Andrew’s personal photographs. 

Andrew Ridgeley says: “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.”

George Michael Entertainment says: “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 says: “Last Christmas is a flawless festive song that has stood the test of time. I’m delighted that the BBC is celebrating its 40^th anniversary, who doesn’t want to spend an hour in the winter wonderland of WHAM! with George, Andrew, Pepsi and Shirlie?”

The documentary chronicles the song’s phenomenal journey to success from its conception and composition by George in early 1984, through its production and recording, wherein he played all the instruments, its famous video shoot in one of the few mountain resorts with early season snow and its crowning glory as a Christmas Number 1. Last Christmas was released on 3^rd December 1984 as a double A side with Everything She Wants and reached the UK Christmas Number Two position in 1984, being held off the top spot by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, which also featured George Michael on vocals. Last Christmas finally topped the UK charts on 1^st January 2021, 36 years after its 1984 release. Two years later, it became the official UK Christmas Number One, whilst being the sixth occasion it had topped the Official UK Chart, it was the first upon which WHAM!’s decades old ambition was fulfilled and it claimed the Christmas Number 1 spot during the coveted Christmas week. In doing so, it became the third highest selling single in the UK of all time and went on to hold the number one spot in the UK for a further week, marking the seventh time it has topped the official UK chart to date.

WHAM!: Last Christmas Unwrapped is presented by Sony Music Entertainment UK and produced by Blink Films in partnership with Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael Entertainment. Directed by the BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls, Made in Dagenham), this special promises to be an unforgettable tribute to both the song, as well as the iconic video.

In partnership with Sony Music Vision and Sony Music Entertainment UK, the feature documentary was acquired by Jonathan Rothery, Head of Commissioning, Pop Music TV, 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.