Wham’s Andew Ridgely: ‘Keeping George’s Sexuality Secret For Years’ | Loose Women
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ค. 2023
- Following the release of the new Netflix documentary, ‘Wham!’, former band member Andrew Ridgely will be joining our panel to mark the band’s 40th anniversary. Andrew explains why Wham had to end to make George Michael into a star, and how when George opened up to him about his sexuality, it had no bearing at all on their relationship.
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From series 27, broadcast on 12/07/2023
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Anyone else notice how Andrew thinks about every word coming out of his mouth carefully. He realizes, he's helping preserve George's legacy. That's what a great friend does, even years after your passing away. What a good man.
Very selfless bloke, for sure
To me, Andrew Ridgeley is a prime example of what a true friend really can and should be. I hope many people will find inspiration in him!
I only see £ € $.
That's also what Andrew Cringeley sees.
As he makes more and more of it, rehashing the same old rhetoric; time after time.
@@steffanhoffmann Oh, give it a rest. Of course, he has to make money and why not capitalise on it? Do you never year to call any of your old boyfriends?
@@riboid 在阅读了您对安德鲁的一些评论后。他的穿着方式等等。我知道我在和谁打交道。
@@steffanhoffmannYour mandarin is terrible 😂
@@KusherK_ “A cynic, is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing" Oscar Wilde.
Reply when you're clever enough.
I love that Andrew takes credit for what he did and gives credit to George for what he did during Wham! Andrew doesn't boast or try to change history, he gives credit where credit is due and I think that shows he is a genuine guy.
So true. Many great artistic talents are also introverts who can't make it without some contrasting and supporting them. Wham is a great example of that.
@superviewer Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block is another example. A total introvert who relies on others in the group to be the outgoing ones.
Hello beautiful
Pray tell us what he did?
I'll give you a bit
1. Mimed guitar on stage not plugged in.
2. Was a poor vocalist.
3. Was devastated when Wham broke up and no gravy train.
4. Tried a solo career and it bombed
5. Was bequeathed 50% royalties from Wham by George as he was that kindly.
6. Resurfaces after George died, as he was left most of the power over his 🎶 catalogue.
Summing up
Since George's death, we've had Greatest Hits package. Documentary. Book. Film 🎶 permission. Netflix. Best of yet again in a box.
Now there's talk of a virtual tour.
He only gives tribute etc when he's after something....more 💷 then you can't get rid of him, until it's time to add more to his 200 million.
Steffan Hoffman please tell me how you know all of this- were you there? Did you work with Wham?
Andrew is always a class act. He and George were great together. Wonderful to see him.
What a lovely thing to say. Good on you 😊
Hello beautiful
What rubbish. He has no 🎶 talent and makes millions off George's name. It's shameful
cant believe he went on loose women...desetves a better platform
@@marcusclark5330 it's perfect
I was impressed with just how happy Andrew was throughout the Netflix special. He was such an awesome and supportive friend to George, and instead of being jealous as George went on in his career, Andrew seemed genuinely happy for his friend.
Maybe because he's a millionaire because of George 😂
@@steffanhoffmannstupid comment
Hello beautiful
How very cynical. He collaborated on songs abd in particular Careless Whisper. They were also great friends....you might want to consider that too !!
@@amandajoyce6619 I consider he was a fake 👍
So much respect for Andrew after seeing the doco. He was a major part in bringing George out of himself & will always be grateful for that. Miss you George everyday 🥰❤
Andrew always knew George was the talent. He never denied it. That said, Andrew helped make George a star. He also helped George deal with the pressure of stardom. I think George was happiest with Andrew and Wham!
@piteusx8440 I wonder whether George went downhill personally (the runs-in with the law, drugs) because of the distance that would naturally happen between him and Andrew post-Wham! Or possibly the loss of his partner Anselmo. It seems to me as though his troubles started around then if I'm not wrong. It's as if he needed Andrew/Anselmo/someone to be that support for him.
@@piteusx8440 o
Amen
@@piteusx8440If that's true why did he split them up?
Andrew is always humble and a gentleman, so nice to see him also his loyalty to George is very touching. The Netflix show Wham is truly uplifting.
Hello beautiful
@@LarryKendrick-vz6zg 🦜
The lesson here as Andrew has shown is always extend a hand of friendship when you meet someone for the first time. You never know where life will take you.
Just watched the documentary. Andrew is such a wonderful, pure soul. He handled their split, way better than 99% of the world would have.
I cried at the end of the documentary. And I have watched it two more times since and convinced my brother to watch it. Wham was before my time but their music is enduring. I was so touched by Andrew and George’s friendship and to see how supportive they were of one another.
I cried for the exact same reason. Such a pure friendship, they genuinely wanted the best for each other.
Me too 😢
Me too, it was such a great docu !!
Wham is the first group to have broken up without bitterness, anger and rancor that I’ve ever heard of. They were awesome friends from beginning to end. We all need friends like that.
And Boyzone only broke up because Stephen died .
REM
@@aislingsibeallyons3416well,that’s not true as they played on after he died.
Met George about half a dozen times from the 80s to the noughties - he was always the most perfect, non-assuming, generous gentleman. I'm very happy to see Andrew get credit for his role.
Were you in the music business?
did he touch yer whizzer?
What a pleasant, intelligent and measured man, Andrew is. Both he and George made Wham the success it was. I look forward to seeing the film.
"Wham was so much about our youth…" is the same for a lot of us. The film was fantastic. George and Andrew telling their story in its raw form - no pretence, no fluff, just the facts. It made me laugh, it made me cry. It made this fifty-five year old woman re-live her youth. I cried at Careless whisper, I laughed and danced around the lounge room to Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, trying to re-do the moves of a teenager, with creaking knees and hip joints, until it hurt. It was so worth it. Always have, always will love the boys from Wham xx ❤🇦🇺
Andrew! What a lovely, humble man. George was so lucky to have had you as a true friend
As an American, this interview is delightful. No one is talking over one another.
On another note the documentary touched me, I admire the beautiful friendship these two men had. I was never a fan but I have a new found respect for Andrew & George.
A true gentleman and loyal friend to George.
Such a lovely human being.
Thank you Andrew. 🙏🏼❤️
I hope Andrew knows that in interviews George never passed up the opportunity to speak positively about him personally and about his huge contribution towards his success. Aren't they lucky to have had that kind of friendship, and aren't we lucky that they shared their music with us ❤
This guy is absolute top shelf. Very articulate and impressive.
What a humble, amazing and loyal friend xx
Andrew was and is a smart man. He knew his part and his limits and obviously never tried to bound George to his. So this is really what friendship or love is all about. Wanting the best for the friend or the partner.
Andrew was such a great friend to George and is keeping his legacy alive
Wow! The documentary is great. One of my favorite moment is when Elton John handed the Ivor Novello award to George for his songwriting. His face expression says it all. What a beautiful moment.
George was so lucky to have this man as his friend, and vise-versa. There will never be another George Michael. I’m just glad I grew up in WHAM’s time era. Such memories. 80’ were the best.
Totally agree I grew up in the 80’s was the best era of music.
It was a fantastic decade, George & Andrew were my favourite band, I knew George’s family as my father had the same accountant as George’s father. RIP Γιώργο (George)
Have you ever met them?
@@xyman no I never met them, his father’s restaurant back then was like a “shrine” to George.
@@arthurdardalisI knew George family.....(but I've never met them)
Make that make sense, please😮
@@wolfgang3137 never met George or Andrew
Andrew's a class act. If you haven't already listened to or read his 2019 published book "Wham! George and Me: A Memoir," please treat yourself to it. You won't regret it. There are many funny and poignant segments in it that the Netflix documentary doesn't cover.
The book is wonderful Ive read it twice
I couldn’t put it down
What a wonderful Friendship and Andrew allowed George to carry on to the success he had, but they made each other through pure friendship
Andrew says everything was a coincidence with meeting and becoming best friends. I think it was meant to be, the stars were aligned, it was fate. Thank you Andrew for telling your story. I smile for the wonderful memories you share and cry for what the world lost. ❤️
❤Omg, why was there not more of Andrew Ridgeley. Just love him. And Wham to me were better than any band. Loved that friendship, was so special. I wish there was more. Would love to hear more stories from Andrew. Love his sense of humour. They were really fantastic bet Shirley, Pepsi, have more stories to tell too. But Andrew is tops, love him.❤
Andrew presents as articulate and statesman like. An excellent ambassador for an amazing legacy. The documentary is great too.
What an extraordinary man! I just watched the documentary a week ago, and my takeaway continues to be exactly what was stated first-the generous, accepting, and unconditional love Andrew and George had with each other from that first day of class together. It’s pretty remarkable that they kept their friendship and love for each other.☮️❤️
The Netflix special is a brilliant watch. They were great together and Andrew knew when it was time for George to spread his wings.
From the interviews I have seen, Andrew has always maintained being very well spoken and respectful of his friends life and legacy.
we all need a friend like andrew. who is happy for his friend, letting him shine and being supportive of george’s success. I loved the Netflix show.
Mr. Andrew Ridgely, thank you for your 40 years of George Micheal 's dear friend. The Netflix documentary was indeed very emotional. The bond and trust you both had for each other is and was so real ,true, and honest. Thank you for assisting in releasing the music videos in 4k.. such a joy to watch. Just a note that you to ,are still hot 🔥🔥🔥🥵🥵 🥵 and your talent. Thank you so much for the kind, love words and music. Much love and be well 🙏😘💝
I went to the Fonal Concert at Wembley. Wonderful day, concert & memory of younger days. Very special, as are Andrew & Michael. (Never forgotten ) x
Thank You Andrew for being a Proper Gentleman….. and being so Nice about George.. you both were Amazing
What an incredibly lovely soul Andrew Ridgely is, & such a wonderful friend to George Michael 💖💖💖 *Pure Class* 💖💖💖
I was at Wembley for that concert and still to this day it's the only group/singers I've seen live when they did last Christmas acapella that was something very very special that I will never forget
A great talent the pair of them and so sad George was taken too soon
George lifted up everyone. Not only the people around him, but he created such a stir and huge sales for media, and made so much money for the record companies. They all owe a lot to his unbelievable creativity, kindness and talent.
Made me cry as it brought back memories of my youth and how our friendship was back in the day no phone no media crap pure friendship if only kids today new how good that felt
Love that Andrew says Yog and he is the only person with that right.😁 Thanks to Andrew we have" the " fabulous George!!! Thanks Andrew and wish you the best life has waiting for you🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Watched the documentary- brilliant. Andrew you are a legend ♥️
We all want a loyal friend like Andrew
Andrew never got enough recognition at all IMO. He wasn’t just “the other guy.” He was just as much half of Wham as was George (RIP), and clearly an amazing friend to him.
He really is a role model of what a good friend is.
Truly. I am 20 years old and I'm taking notes. haha
I saw the documentary, and it was fantastic. It made me sing, dance, choke-up and long for the 80's. I was lucky enough to be a teenager in London, England when the tsunami, that was Andrew and George, exploded onto the scene. I pierced both my ears, because of George. Andrew is a stand-up guy, and will always have a place in my heart as one half of the greatest 80's pop band: Wham!
The docu made me very emotional as well. Because deep down it is about a deep and loyal friendship. The one we all wish we had and is sorely lacking in today's world.
George is a legend. Andrew pushed him in the direction needed.
What a wonderful genuine man!🙏🏻
Andrew. A real gentleman. Wonderful interview. With George, they gave us some of the finest crafted pop music, that still remains popular today. A class act.
What a GENTLEMAN, what a honest, loving friend... Simply Amazing!
Andrew and George are mirror images of each other; very humble and lots of class. They accomplished so much in four years and I don't think they ever got their due so to speak but I'm happy to hear that younger Generations are actually interested in them. Thanks Andrew because without you I don't think we would have had the great George Michael front-and-center as we did. George may have just been another great songwriter that people don't even know their name if they're not in the industry. I'm sure the LBGTQ community would have missed him also.
Yes, I'm 20 and recently discovered the artist(s) stories behind Wham and George Michael.
Half the reason I enjoy Wham! is because of the true friendship behind it.
It's too bad George died in 2016. I would've tried to see an anniversary concert, if that wasn't the case.
From listening to the concert recordings, it sounds like George was amazing in concert as well.
The 1994 Jesus To A Child (Berlin Awards) was breathtaking. Sounded even better than the studio version, in my opinion.
Music like that is a rare find nowadays. Don't get me wrong, I still listen to more recent music, but the 80s and 90s were a gem, it's around today, but harder to find. It's difficult to find artists who write their own music, to be honest.
I was able to see Alan Jackson's anniversary concert last year. In his 70s, he sounded great as well. Glad I go to see him, though.
@@Hazelthehedgehog22 Everything you said is true. I'm so glad you found him as a person who was his same age and was lucky enough to be around when he was active. George had a big fight with Sony... I'm not sure if you know that story. I read that at the Berlin Music Awards when they heard him sing Jesus to a Child Sony was beside themselves that they ever let him go as an artist and didn't make him happy. I think part of the reason he had such staying power was because he did write his own music, produce and arrange his own music and if you put that together with his incomparable voice you have George Michael for 34 years. I think he's a once in a 100 Year talent. People talk about Prince all the time but seriously can you see him singing with Garth Brooks, Pavarotti and Tony Bennett in those types of genres never mind all the megastars he sang with? Also Prince didn't even remotely have his voice.
The documentary is brilliant! Andrew is the best friend one could have and George is everything! We miss you George! Andrew is an exceptional person!💜💜💜
Wow I knew the music but I didn't know the story. I loved the documentary and it gave me a new understanding and respect of Andrew and George and their amazing friendship. I cried too, of course. Thank you Andy for sharing your lives with us. ❤❤❤
Andrew Ridgley is a legend as George Michael is.. loved Wham fabulous group, fabulous memories, lots of love Andrew x
Andrew so articulate and funny and the love he has for George is so special as you can see from this interview, it’s truly heartwarming.
RIP George, Andrew and you were an amazing couple. Great to see Andrew doing this. What a love and friendship for each other
How many ladies in the audience who are in their 50s and early 60s who all lived through the heady days of Wham in their early years :D ??
Me. I'm one month younger than George. I wasnt a super fan but appreciate them more these days. I saw George at the Kensington Roof Gardens (nightclub) one night in the 80s, he was gorgeous.
Meeee born in 66 watching the Netflix show truly made me adore Andrew he is such a special human being ❤
@@rosiebottom3870 he was gorgeous ♥️
@@debraestrict134 he is ♥️
Yes, dancing around in my bedroom, not a care in the world, and every now and then, I still dance around to Wham, but now it’s in the kitchen while tea is cooking.
What a fantastic friendship he shared with GM. Andrew has proven himself a faithful friend and confidant like no other. Respect.
Love their friendship so much. So thankful George had that in his life, a true real friend. That is what Wham! is. And brilliant genius pop music. Their will never be another George Michael ever again, and indeed a god onstage, what a presence and personality. Great interview with Andrew. He looks so handsome. ❤ ♥️
I wish someone would ask about David Austin... He was also a really good friend from the beginning to the end and I don't think he even got a mention in the documentary.
He got a credit
Andrew Ridgely is such a wonderful friend and a class act. I admire him immensely.
I’d love to hear from other kids who were in the class the day Andrew offered to look after George on his first day.
Love so many qualities Andrew possesses. And he's gorgeous! I miss Wham! I miss George!❤
I loved the film too. It was beautiful to see two young boys friendship which grow into a awesome friendship and then a band.
I really like the fact that Andrew actually called him with his actual name, Yiorg (Γιώργος/George in Greek). Maybe it was meant to be these two to stick together because Andrew himself was a Mediterranean guy, originally from Egypt, so these two elements perhaps contributed to enstrength enough their friendship. What I love about Andrew is how he analyze all aspects, like some sort of psychoanalysis.
Such a wonderful true friend to George & the girls & such a lovely gentleman 💙🏴
What a duo with some much love and respect for each other. Loved the documentary!
Not too keen on “The Loose Women” but always have the utmost respect for Mr Ridgely 👍
I don't know why but since I watched the documentary i've been literally consumed by George's life story- I want to know what happened to him; something happened I just know it. Someone betrayed his trust as a boy and destroyed his beautful innocence- It's so heartbreaking, you can hear it in his songs.-Am I the only one who feels this way?😢
I love Wham and always will. I watch them on Netflix and it was nostalgia,making me miss the 80s so much! I love Andrew and George equally.❤️❤️
AR, such a humble and articulate person that continues to this day remembering with fondness and admiration his best friend, his soulmate growing up, the superstar that GM became then and continues to be. Club Tropicana, AR super handsome chap in the video - both lads just being great mates and neither one of them ever having a bad word to say with each other! We can all take a leaf.
A friendship like this is gold. What a rarity. Wonderful. I’m blessed to have a friendship in my life that’s as remarkably brilliant. In fact, I have been blessed with a few lifelong friendships (50 years). There is nothing like them. Priceless.
I so miss the 80’s. Everything seemed so much better then. Music, movies, people.
Wham UK and Gearge Michael were such a huge part of my youth and coming of age, really, for me. My nephew plays saxophone and Careless Whispers is his favorite piece to play. The music they gave us really transcends space and time ❤
Absolutely brilliant watch/listen really pleased to hear and see more from Andrew again
He is such a good guy, so humble
After watching WHAM on Netflix...I have more love n respect for Andrew. What an absolutely fantastic Friend. Besides being talented n cute n funny n fabulous...he never got insecure or tried to fight for the spotlight. What a brilliant human he is. Love him so much right now
I saw the Wham! documentary twice within a week. It was simply marvelous. Their music is still entertaining to this very day!
Wham was together 2 years longer than it should have been simply because Andrew was humble and supportive of George’s superior talent and because George checked his growing ego to give his friend a little more time in the spotlight. Not many people in those situations behave like that .
My first album I ever owned was Wham’s Make it Big, I was 8 yrs old and still have the pic of me holding it! The Netflix film is amazing, enjoyed every minute. They were truly 2 amazing friends ❤ to each other.
Andrew was so humble and gracious, not jealous of his friend. He was so quiet really but has become the great spokesperson.
Whats amazing is that he recognized that George had a talent and a future that was much greater then Wham. And that without jealousy he let Wham go and George have his stardom. That's a true friend for life. He also deserves more credit for Wham then he gets. He was very much involved in all phases of it.
Ty Andrew ❤ Such a class act.
American Gen-Xer here. As a seven year old in the mid-80s I had seen Wham's video for "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," but that was true of a lot of British pop on MTV in those days. Fast forward to 1987, and we have George Michael as a neo-Elvis heartthrob with Faith and all its hit singles. Fun fact: I had no idea that George Michael had been one of the guys from Wham until many years later. Fast forward again to age 14, and I watched George Michael perform live with Queen at the Freddie Mercury memorial concert. When I was a young adult about to begin college, George Michael was forced to come out. Looking back, I should not have been as shocked as I was, but I didn't understand all of the contradictions of the closet then.
And now George Michael has been gone from us for nearly seven years, and I am moving to the UK next month for grad school. I am a historian specializing in LGBTQ history, and I owe my educational career to ancestors like Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, and George Michael. And I am making sure to pass down the stories of our LGBTQ ancestors for future generations.
Whams music will never die
NEVERRRRR...
God bless Andrew , what a beautiful soul!!!! Michael was very blessed to have had a best friend in him. Very seldom in life one can have a true friend.
In my 50s now all ways love wham Andrew respect to you sir great interview xx
I remember seeing Andrew at the motorcycle races at Donington Park at the height of his fame in the '80's. He was wandering around the infield with an attractive companion & seemed a down to earth regular bloke.
It's very nice and unusual friendship on music business. Most bands and partnerships started well with so much love but on long the way end up with money troubles and jealousy issues. He never felt that way about George, thats true love between brothers supported him util he could feel comfortable to go own his own and respected his secret
First I’ve seen a group start and end with so much respect and admiration for each other. The doc was so good.
Having watched the excellent documentary it really struck me that Andrew was a really good friend. The kind anyone would benefit from.
George Michael was lucky to have such a humble, decent, down to earth, good person as a friend. He has contributed tremendously to the confidence building process of GM.
What a lovely fella.
How humble and respectful of Andrew to admit he couldn’t hold George back from his obvious talent. No bitterness or jealousy whatsoever. That’s how it comes across anyway. A true friend
Soul mates from beginning to end bless them both
He’s a true friend to this day! I loved the documentary and happy we can comment on itv TH-cam now!!!
Brilliant documentary on Netflix and the reason i love the 80s my favourite decade of all time
The more I listen to Andrew, the more I like him as a person and also realise what an important part of Wham he actually was. He's also very articulate.
What an honorable gentleman and friend. Class act.