Wham!’s Last Christmas has finally found itself at the top of the charts to enjoy its first ever year as Christmas Number 1 single in the UK.
The 1984 perennial favourite by duo George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley has topped the charts in the past, but never in the last week before Christmas.
Finally bagging the top spot, seven years after George’s passing in 2016, Andrew revealed the star would be ‘beside himself’ at the news.
Yet there are many surprising facts about the hit track, including an unlikely EastEnders star who features in the music video.
The iconic music video sees George and Andrew taking their ‘girlfriends’ on a skiing holiday, yet heartthrob Martin Kemp also appears in the video.
You Wham-n’t believe it! 12 little-known facts about the song Last Christmas including a surprise appearance from EastEnders legend as it takes Number 1 spot for the first time this Christmas
The video was the last ever time George was filmed without a beard, as the musician then went on to sport facial hair until he died
The Spandau Ballet bassist was dating Wham!’s backing singer Shirlie Holliman at the time and features in the video as the friends gather together for Christmas.
While Shirlie and Martin went on the marry, George was also the godfather of their son Roman.
The video was also the last ever time George was filmed without a beard, as the musician then went on to sport facial hair until he died.
The chart topping hit was born in George’s childhood bedroom after he went back to visit his parents’ house with Andrew.
Andrew previously recalled: ‘We’d had a bite to eat and were sitting together relaxing with the television on in the background when, almost unnoticed, George disappeared upstairs for an hour or so.
‘When he came back down, such was his excitement, it was as if he had discovered gold which, in a sense, he had.
‘He played me the introduction and the beguiling, wistful chorus melody to Last Christmas. It was a moment of wonder.’
The song was then recorded during the summer of 1984, with George, decorating the studio with Christmas paraphernalia to bring the festive vibes to the recording session.
The iconic music video sees George and Andrew taking their ‘girlfriends’ on a skiing holiday, yet heartthrob Martin Kemp also appears in the video (pictured together in 1984)
The Spandau Ballet bassist was dating Wham!’s backing singer Shirlie Holliman (pictured with George in 1986) at the time and features in the video as the friends gather together for Christmas
While Shirlie and Martin went on the marry, George was also the godfather of their son Roman
Describing the moment George wrote the hit, Andrew said: ‘When he came back down, such was his excitement, it was as if he had discovered gold which, in a sense, he had’
The song also inspired the 2019 romcom, Last Christmas. Starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding
The late musician also wrote, produced and played every single instrument on the Christmas classic.
Although it only reached the Christmas Number 1 spot this year, after previously being kept off the top spot by Band Aid’s charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? when it was released, it is no stranger to topping the charts.
Since its release the song has entered the UK top 40 on 15 occasions and reached the top 10 no less than six times, finally reaching number one on New Year’s Day in 2021.
After it’s first release it spent five weeks at number two with all proceeds from the sale of the song also donated to Band Aid’s Ethiopian famine appeal.
Before it reached number one, the single held the record for the highest-selling single never to reach number one, a record now held by Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera.
Yet it isn’t just a fan favourite in England, with Germany also loving the track.
Last Christmas is the most successful Christmas single of all time in Germany and has spent 153 weeks on the German Singles Chart, charting every year since 1997.
Last Christmas was also a victim to plagiarism complaints, after George was sued for the alleged similarities between Last Christmas and the pop classic Can’t Smile Without You.
However the case was dismissed when a musicologist presented around 60 songs from the past century that had a comparable chord sequence and melody.
While it has been covered by hosts of modern day singers including Miley Cyrus, Rita Ora and Taylor Swift, the song also inspired the 2019 romcom, Last Christmas.
Starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, George collaborated with actor Emma Thompson, who co-wrote the screenplay, on the film’s concept before his death in 2016.