Andrew Ridgeley will write a memoir about his friendship with George Michael and the formation of their band Wham!
Wham!, George & I will trace his friendship with Michael over the years from their meeting in 1975 at Bushey Meads School to their rise to fame and success with hits such as Last Christmas And Wake me up before you go in the 1980s.
It also covers the band’s farewell concert on June 28, 1986 at London’s Wembley Stadium, where they said goodbye to their fans and to each other.
Michael died on Christmas Day 2016 at the age of 53.
An autopsy revealed that he died of heart disease and fatty deposits in his liver, which may have been caused by drug and alcohol abuse.
Ridgeley later wrote in the Post on Sunday: “The sheer, crushing sense of loss knocked me off my feet and I found myself on the deck and on my knees crying like never before.
“I was not prepared for the deep pain that George’s death caused.”
Louise Moore, managing director of publisher Michael Joseph/Penguin, said: “Andrew is the only man who can tell this story. It is a memoir of love, friendship and music.”
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“When I first heard about it, I just wanted to get this book out there and share the story with all these millions of fans. It’s a joy and a privilege to work with Andrew and we’re incredibly excited about the launch.”
Wham! officially split after ‘The Finale’ a farewell concert in front of 72,000 people at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, June 28, 1986.
After the separation, Ridgeley moved to Monaco to pursue a career as a racing driver. He later moved to Los Angeles to become an actor.
Ridgeley is notoriously reserved and rarely gives interviews about his life as a pop star, but he appeared with Michael in A different storya 2005 documentary about the life of his fellow Wham! member. A reunion was discussed for their first live performance in decades at Live 8, but it never materialized.
Ridgeley reportedly still earns millions in royalties from sales of Wham! singles and albums.
