For four decades, the song Last Christmas has earned its place as one of the biggest holiday hits. The video, which shows a friends’ trip to a mountain chalet, is just as beloved. Previously, HouseWife shared the story behind the hit and its video.
To mark this milestone anniversary, Andrew Ridgeley gathered some of the original video participants. Together, they returned to the same Swiss Alpine village where the video was filmed. The trip also served as a tribute to George Michael, who died on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53.
Wham! made history as one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. But what happened to the people who shared the group’s fame by appearing in the iconic video?
Andrew Ridgeley
Shortly after Wham! disbanded, Ridgeley moved to Monaco to pursue a career in Formula 3 racing. He later tried acting in Los Angeles. In 1990, he returned to the UK and released a solo album, Son of Albert, which failed to catch on.
That year brought a change in his personal life: he began dating Keren Woodward of Bananarama.
In 1991, at Brazil’s Maracanã Stadium, he joined George Michael for an encore performance. After that, Ridgeley largely stepped out of the public eye. A few years later, he left London and moved to a 15th-century farmhouse in Cornwall with Keren and her son Tom.
Ridgeley supported the family with royalties from the song “Careless Whisper,” which he co-wrote with George Michael. Since 1982, that song has earned £10 million.
In 2019, he published his autobiography, George and Me, admitting he sometimes envied Michael. “It would be wonderful to be sprinkled with a bit of that stardust,” Ridgeley wrote.
In 2017, he and Keren divorced after 27 years together. Recently he said he no longer believes in monogamy. Ridgeley confirmed he is “happily single,” and has said he currently has multiple romantic relationships.
He is also an avid cyclist and often shares stories about his travels on social media.
Shirley Kemp
Shirley was a backing vocalist and dancer for Wham! at the height of their fame. After the band’s breakup, she and Helen “Pepsi DeMacque” (who made a brief appearance in the Christmas video) formed the duo Pepsi & Shirlie. The pair released two top-ten hits in the UK, according to the Daily Mail.
Being part of Wham! helped the singers advance in both their careers and personal lives. Shirley met her husband Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet. The couple married in 1988 and had a daughter, Harley Moon, and a son, Roman, who was George Michael’s godson.
In 1995, Martin was diagnosed with two brain tumors, and Shirley took a career break to care for him. She took temporary work at George Michael’s record company Aegean, which was run by his cousin Andros Georgiou. When the company folded, Shirley built a new career as a photographer and interior stylist.
In 2019, Shirley and Martin released their first joint album, mostly jazz covers. The following year, the couple published a memoir and relationship-advice book titled Shirley and Martin Kemp: This Is a Love Story.
Helen “Pepsi” DeMacque
In addition to performing as part of Pepsi & Shirlie, Helen collaborated with Mike Oldfield in the late 1990s and tried acting, appearing in the musical Hair at London’s Old Vic Theatre in 1993.
She eventually left show business and moved to New Zealand, where she worked in a souvenir shop. Later she relocated to Saint Lucia, her family’s place of origin, and now runs a charter sailing company with her husband James.
“My life in the Caribbean is very different from life in London, but it’s just as exciting,” she says.
On social media, Helen identifies as a singer, actress, writer, traveler, “and more,” and has said she plans to release a debut novel. She also practices Buddhism.
Debbie Killingbeck
Debbie, a blonde who played George’s girlfriend in the video, described Michael as “the most amazing person.” “He was fun, loved to laugh, and was just a wonderful person. We all grew closer after filming the video,” she recalled.
Reflecting on her role, she added, “I remember one evening we had a few drinks, but George was very kind.” According to Killingbeck, there was a bed scene between her and George that was cut from the final video.
Kathy Hill
The most memorable participant in the Christmas video, now 67, won hearts with her dark curls and a festive yellow cardigan. Kathy played the girlfriend for whom George Michael’s character suddenly developed a passionate attraction.
Today, Kathy has blonde hair and still looks great. Recently she revealed she took part in recording the charity Christmas single Celebrity So Delicious, with proceeds going to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Not long ago, Kathy Hill shared vacation photos in a bikini on social media.
Kathy has often talked about filming the video. “It was just a group of friends having fun. And there’s magic in that,” she said.
“At the scene around the holiday table, we all got a little drunk. I don’t think George did, but we did. I drank a lot of red wine,” Kathy recalled. She said George’s fall into the snow wasn’t staged — he actually slipped.
“George kept sliding down. One time he sat on me laughing, and that exact moment was used. We laughed until we dropped. He couldn’t get up. That’s my favorite scene,” Kathy Hill added.
For four decades, the song Last Christmas has earned its place as one of the biggest holiday hits. The video, which shows a friends’ trip to a mountain chalet, is just as beloved. Previously, HouseWife shared the story behind the hit and its video.
To mark this milestone anniversary, Andrew Ridgeley gathered some of the original video participants. Together, they returned to the same Swiss Alpine village where the video was filmed. The trip also served as a tribute to George Michael, who died on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53.
Wham! made history as one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. But what happened to the people who shared the group’s fame by appearing in the iconic video?
Andrew Ridgeley
Shortly after Wham! disbanded, Ridgeley moved to Monaco to pursue a career in Formula 3 racing. He later tried acting in Los Angeles. In 1990, he returned to the UK and released a solo album, Son of Albert, which failed to catch on.
That year brought a change in his personal life: he began dating Keren Woodward of Bananarama.
In 1991, at Brazil’s Maracanã Stadium, he joined George Michael for an encore performance. After that, Ridgeley largely stepped out of the public eye. A few years later, he left London and moved to a 15th-century farmhouse in Cornwall with Keren and her son Tom.
Ridgeley supported the family with royalties from the song “Careless Whisper,” which he co-wrote with George Michael. Since 1982, that song has earned £10 million.
In 2019, he published his autobiography, George and Me, admitting he sometimes envied Michael. “It would be wonderful to be sprinkled with a bit of that stardust,” Ridgeley wrote.
In 2017, he and Keren divorced after 27 years together. Recently he said he no longer believes in monogamy. Ridgeley confirmed he is “happily single,” and has said he currently has multiple romantic relationships.
He is also an avid cyclist and often shares stories about his travels on social media.
Shirley Kemp
Shirley was a backing vocalist and dancer for Wham! at the height of their fame. After the band’s breakup, she and Helen “Pepsi DeMacque” (who made a brief appearance in the Christmas video) formed the duo Pepsi & Shirlie. The pair released two top-ten hits in the UK, according to the Daily Mail.
Being part of Wham! helped the singers advance in both their careers and personal lives. Shirley met her husband Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet. The couple married in 1988 and had a daughter, Harley Moon, and a son, Roman, who was George Michael’s godson.
In 1995, Martin was diagnosed with two brain tumors, and Shirley took a career break to care for him. She took temporary work at George Michael’s record company Aegean, which was run by his cousin Andros Georgiou. When the company folded, Shirley built a new career as a photographer and interior stylist.
In 2019, Shirley and Martin released their first joint album, mostly jazz covers. The following year, the couple published a memoir and relationship-advice book titled Shirley and Martin Kemp: This Is a Love Story.
Helen “Pepsi” DeMacque
In addition to performing as part of Pepsi & Shirlie, Helen collaborated with Mike Oldfield in the late 1990s and tried acting, appearing in the musical Hair at London’s Old Vic Theatre in 1993.
She eventually left show business and moved to New Zealand, where she worked in a souvenir shop. Later she relocated to Saint Lucia, her family’s place of origin, and now runs a charter sailing company with her husband James.
“My life in the Caribbean is very different from life in London, but it’s just as exciting,” she says.
On social media, Helen identifies as a singer, actress, writer, traveler, “and more,” and has said she plans to release a debut novel. She also practices Buddhism.
Debbie Killingbeck
Debbie, a blonde who played George’s girlfriend in the video, described Michael as “the most amazing person.” “He was fun, loved to laugh, and was just a wonderful person. We all grew closer after filming the video,” she recalled.
Reflecting on her role, she added, “I remember one evening we had a few drinks, but George was very kind.” According to Killingbeck, there was a bed scene between her and George that was cut from the final video.
Kathy Hill
The most memorable participant in the Christmas video, now 67, won hearts with her dark curls and a festive yellow cardigan. Kathy played the girlfriend for whom George Michael’s character suddenly developed a passionate attraction.
Today, Kathy has blonde hair and still looks great. Recently she revealed she took part in recording the charity Christmas single Celebrity So Delicious, with proceeds going to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Not long ago, Kathy Hill shared vacation photos in a bikini on social media.
Kathy has often talked about filming the video. “It was just a group of friends having fun. And there’s magic in that,” she said.
“At the scene around the holiday table, we all got a little drunk. I don’t think George did, but we did. I drank a lot of red wine,” Kathy recalled. She said George’s fall into the snow wasn’t staged — he actually slipped.
“George kept sliding down. One time he sat on me laughing, and that exact moment was used. We laughed until we dropped. He couldn’t get up. That’s my favorite scene,” Kathy Hill added.
