ANDREW RIDGELEY is best known for being one half of the 1980s group Wham! – which he fronted with the late George Michael.
Ridgeley and his school friend George sold millions of records and won the hearts of millions of fans across the world, and their music is still widely known today.
Who is Andrew Ridgeley?
Andrew Ridgeley is a musician who was born in Windlesham, Surrey, on January 26, 1963.
He grew up in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and went to Bushey Meads school where he met and became friends with his future band partner George Michael.
George was born in London but moved to Hertfordshire with his family when he was in his early teens.
The duo performed together for years before forming Wham!
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How did Wham! form and how successful were they?
Andrew and George were initially members of a short-lived ska band called The Executive.
The duo then formed Wham! in 1981.
They signed with Innervision Records after submitting a homemade demo which reportedly took just 10 minutes to record in Andrew's bedroom.
Wham! went on to sell an impressive 25 million records across three studio albums, and had huge hits both in the UK and US with songs including Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, I'm Your Man and the beloved seasonal classic, Last Christmas.
In 1985, Wham! became the first Western pop group to tour China, performing ten ground-breaking dates in the country as part of their world tour.
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George's solo career began to take off following the release of hit single Careless Whisper and in 1986 Wham! announced they were breaking up.
The duo bid goodbye to their fans with a huge farewell show at Wembley Stadium and George later described the breakup as "the most amicable split in pop history".
Where is Andrew Ridgeley now?
After Wham! split, Andrew left the music industry for a time, moving to Monaco to try his hand at being a Formula Three motor racing driver.
He then moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Andrew returned to the UK permanently in 1990, and released his only solo album, Son Of Albert.
Ridgeley reportedly amassed more than £10million in royalties from his Wham! days, with a significant percentage coming from a co-writing credit on legendary George Michael solo track Careless Whisper.
It is thought that Andrew remains involved in music by songwriting under a pseudonym.
He has reportedly been invited to become a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing on several occasions.
Is Andrew Ridgeley married?
Andrew was in a relationship with fellow 80s popstar Keren Woodward, who is known for the popular girl band Bananarama, for over 25 years – but the pair never married and split in 2017.
The former couple got together in 1990 and enjoyed the quiet life in Wadebridge in Cornwall, where they lived with her son, Thomas, from a previous relationship with the model David-Scott Evans.
In 2022 it was reported that Andrew had found love again with former model Amanda Cronin, though they then split in 2023.
What did Andrew Ridgeley say about George Michael's death?
In the aftermath of George’s shock death on December 25, 2016, Andrew tweeted heartbroken tributes to his friend and former bandmate, using the sweet nickname Yog (Yours Only George).
Andrew and Wham! backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie then gave a moving tribute to the star at the 2017 Brit Awards.
Ridgeley said: "On Christmas Day 2016, the greatest singer songwriter of his generation, an icon of his era, George Michael, was lost.
"A supernova in the shining stars had been extinguished and it felt like the sky had fallen in.”
Backstage at the Brits, Andrew told the Daily Mirror that the delay of George’s funeral had been difficult.
He said: "We've not had closure. It's difficult for me. It's difficult for everyone. It's a limbo period and we need to be able to move on."
Funeral plans were delayed by the need for further toxicology tests but the ceremony eventually took place on March 29, 2017.
In July 2023, Netflix released a documentary about Wham! to mark the bands' 40th anniversary.
Ahead of its release, Ridgeley revealed that the last time he was with George was over a game of scrabble.
He told People: "He'd beaten me the week before, and I was exacting my revenge.
"It took us right back to just…the essence of our schoolboy friendship and one-upmanship. It was a game that stimulated him, and me also."
Did Andrew Ridgeley attend George Michael's funeral?
Three months after his death on Christmas Day, George was finally laid to rest in North London, with Andrew among the guests.
A service, attended by family and close friends, was held in the tiny, 30-seat chapel at Highgate West Cemetery.
Family in attendance included George's father and his two older sisters, Yioda and Melanie.
Among the other guests were George's former bandmates Helen "Pepsi" DeMacque and Shirlie Holliman, as well as Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp and George's boyfriend, Fadi Fawaz.
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