Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped | Preview (BBC Two)

An hour-long celebration 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 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).

With them 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.”

Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped airs Saturday 14th December at 8:35pm on BBC One.