Skip to content

Andrew Ridgley says Last Christmas was written to be Christmas No 1

Wham! star Andrew Ridgley has told the BBC that when the band wrote Last Christmas it was always with the intention of being a Christmas number one hit.

The song has finally got there 39 years after it was first released.

Ridgley also reflected on George Michael's ambitions to reach the spot saying the late singer had always said "any great songwriter should be able to write a Christmas number one".

22 December 2023

Christmas music

Official UK music charts

Explore More

A woman with dark hair pulled back from her face wears a chef's whites. She is standing next to her cake shop window display, which features a large, iced igloo and cake penguins.

The gravity-defying stunt penguins made from cake

Hull & East Yorkshire

An aerial image of The Shard with white Christmas lights shining

Gareth Malone turns on The Shard's Christmas lights

A man places the final gold bauble on the Covent Garden Christmas tree

Watch: How Covent Garden gets its Christmas tree

Aerial view of Oxford Street in central London showing the twinkly stars over the street with a double decker bus and cars driving with their lights on

Watch: Oxford Street Christmas lights switched on

Quincy Jones directing an orchestra

Quincy Jones's life in music: From Thriller to Austin Powers

Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones on gangsters, David Bowie and Picasso

Thom Yorke speaking on microphone on stage and pointing at audience

Radiohead's Thom Yorke calls out heckler over Gaza protest

Adele and Celine Dion holding each other's faces in their hands

Tearful Adele hugs Celine Dion at Las Vegas show

Ashley Gordon aka DJ AG Online

TikTok DJ on a mission to spread positivity

Geoff Payne, father of former One Direction band member Liam Payne, waves to people outside hotel

Liam Payne's father reads tributes outside hotel

A singer singing into a microphone wearing a glittery headpiece which covers their face.

'I don't want my face as part of my music process'

Women standing outside hotel speaking to camera

Fans of Liam Payne react to his death in Argentina

Olivia Rodrigo wearing glittery mesh dress singing into a microphone

Olivia Rodrigo says 'I'm OK' after falling into hole on stage

20-year-old Olly Quinn at Durham Cathedral

From cathedral chorister to K-pop star hopeful

Olly Murs speaking into a BBC Essex microphone.

Watch: Olly Murs takes over radio show to reveal gig

Dancer and choreographer Dean Lee

London dancer choreographs Janet Jackson tour

People playing music instruments

First Sikh sacred music exams launched in UK

Chappell Roan sings while performing in an armour costume against a fiery backdrop at 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York

Top moments from the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards

Olivia Bridge, a woman with light blond pink hair smiles and looks at the camera

Oasis fans on joy of getting a ticket

Nicky Wire, left, and brother Patrick Jones

Manics' Nicky Wire fuelled by 'working class rage'

North West Wales

Singer Chris Martin on a stage in Luton performing at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend

Watch: Coldplay pay tribute to Luton in new song, Orange

Chris Martin's Coldplay shared a new song in tribute to Luton where the band were playing.

Entertainment & Arts

Raye singing on stage against a green backdrop

Watch: Raye performs Prada at Big Weekend

The record-breaking Brit Award winner was headlining the second day of Radio 1's Big Weekend.

Entertainment & Arts

Piers Morgan

Baby Reindeer 'a big problem' for Netflix and Gadd - Morgan

Journalist Piers Morgan says there are issues to be addressed by the programme makers.

Entertainment & Arts

Nemo waving non-binary flag

'It just shattered' - Nemo explains broken Eurovision trophy

Returning from the contest, Swiss singer Nemo was greeted by hundreds of fans at Zurich Airport.

Entertainment & Arts

Joe Lycett

Watch: Joe Lycett dressed as Queen Elizabeth I

Other celebrities wore loose fitting outfits, as they tried to keep cool with the sun beating down.

Entertainment & Arts

Jasmine Jobson holding her Bafta award

Best of Baftas 2024 TV Awards... in 86 seconds

Our recap of this year's 2024 Bafta TV Awards.

Entertainment & Arts

Eden Golan responding to pro-Palestinian protests

Watch: Israel's Eden Golan responds as Eurovision protests rage

The contestant says she is "focused on the music" as 10,000 protest against Israel's participation.

Entertainment & Arts

The Hydro announced Olly Murs would not perform due to "unforeseen circumstances".

Glasgow singer stands in for Olly Murs at Hydro

The Hydro announced Olly Murs would not perform due to "unforeseen circumstances".

Entertainment & Arts

Picture of author Paul Auster

Paul Auster: Americans are divided like never before

In a HARDtalk interview from 2021, Paul Auster reflects on culture wars in the US.

Entertainment & Arts

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling outstunt each other

Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling discuss doing their own stunts, performing at the Oscars and why they've bonded over British comedy.

Entertainment & Arts

Michael Flatley

Michael Flatley on Riverdance at Eurovision

The Irish dancer speaks to the BBC

Entertainment & Arts

Nicole Kidman

Watch: 'I'm an Aussie girl...standing here in Hollywood'

Nicole Kidman becomes the first Australian actress to win the AFI Life Achievement Award.

Entertainment & Arts

David Bowie sings into a microphone

Can you hear the hyenas and wild pigs in new Bowie hit?

The late musician's song is part of a project giving financial credit to nature.

Entertainment & Arts

Hannah Waddingham

Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazzi

The Olivier Awards host reacted after a snapper apparently asked her to "show your leg".

Entertainment & Arts

Sir Salman Rushdie

Rushdie reveals extent of his wounds from knife attack

The Satanic Verses author has been speaking ahead of publishing a memoir about the stabbing.

Entertainment & Arts

Kirsten Dunst

Spiderman star on Hollywood's gender pay gap

Kirsten Dunst reveals why she never challenged being paid less than her male co-stars

Entertainment & Arts

Referee at Gladiators

Gladiators final: Contenders are you ready?

The four Gladiators finalists were on BBC Breakfast ahead of tonight's ultimate challenge.

Entertainment & Arts

Frankie Juma

The success story behind England's homeless football team

Meet the Sudanese refugee taking England's homeless footballers to a World Cup in South Korea.

Entertainment & Arts

Sheridan Smith

Sheridan Smith opens up about her public breakdown

Sheridan Smith stars in a new play in the West End called Opening Night. Her character is an actress facing mental health troubles before the first night of her new show.

Entertainment & Arts

I love my mum (but not like that...)

What is the Oedipus Complex and how do we know that incest is wrong?

Entertainment & Arts