Andrew John Ridgeley can be seen in the latest Netflix documentary series Wham. The band was very popular during the early 90s, when he started with his best friend George Michael. Here, we are going to talk about him, his achievements, and how he became so popular. To know more about him, you can see his interview in the latest Netflix series.
Born in Surrey, England, on January 26, 1963, his mother was a teacher at a primary school, and his father worked for the Japanese multinational corporation Canon. He attended Bushey Meads School, where he met newcomer George Michael, and they became friends. Talking about his career, he initially tried his luck in many music groups but didn’t find much success. So, he formed Wham with George in 1981.
In the band, George was the lead vocal artist, while Andrew played the guitar and provided backing vocals. He also co-wrote songs for the band. The band became incredibly popular, selling numerous records worldwide. In 1984, he underwent surgery to correct a broken nose he had sustained at the age of 9. Initially, the band manager claimed he was hit in a nightclub, but the real reason was soon revealed.
After becoming the first band to perform in China, they also made a documentary, Wham! in China: Foreign Skies, on this topic. After George decided to part ways with the band, Andrew moved to Monaco and tried his luck in Formula Three racing. After gaining some success there, he moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career and eventually settled in Britain permanently.
In 2005, there were plans for a band reunion and tour, but George did not agree. In 2012, they performed their last show in London, and in 2016, George passed away. Andrew expressed his condolences to him through Twitter. He also played a cameo role in the 2019 movie Last Christmas. Currently, he is living in Cornwall, England, and as of 2022, he is dating Amanda Cronin. He still receives income from his shares in the band Wham.