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Andrew Ridgeley back in Swiss Alps for BBC’s ‘Last Christmas’ documentary

WHAM, left George Michael, right: ANdrew Ridgeley
Wham!: George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley Keystone

Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley fondly recalls filming the Christmas hit "Last Christmas" in Saas Fee. "Few places are as perfect as Switzerland and the Alps," he told Swiss newspaper Blick.

Ridgeley recently went back to the filming location for a BBC documentary and shared that the 1984 song reflects many people’s ideal Christmas. It’s a snowy Christmas in a cosy cabin with friends, with all the comforts and luxuries, said the 61-year-old on the 50th anniversary of the iconic Christmas song.

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“There was a real party atmosphere in Saas-Fee. It was also very exuberant at times. If you gather a dozen twenty-year-olds for a ski weekend in the mountains, add festive cheer and alcohol, you’re going to have a good time.” The new BBC documentary Last Christmas Unwrapped features some scenes from this. These didn’t make it into the music video but show “how wild it was on location”.

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Ridgeley said he recognised immediately that it was an extraordinary song. Singer George Michael (1963-2016) came to him absolutely thrilled. “And when I heard the track, I knew that my mate had created yet another brilliant composition. It was an annoying habit of his.”

Translated from German by DeepL/sp

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