Andrew Ridgeley from Wham! cites Harvey’s beer as “love of my life”

Andrew Ridgeley, who was one half of Wham!, recently named Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter when asked “What or who is the greatest love of your life?” by The Guardian.

The answer came as part of the national newspaper’s The Q&A series in which stars are asked a succession of quick-fire questions ranging from “Who would play you in the film of your life?” to “When did you last cry, and why?”

Andrew Ridgeley (right) was one half of Wham! (Image: Louise Palanker/Wikimedia Commons) Harvey’s Brewery, in Lewes, is the oldest independent brewery in Sussex. It is a family business, having been in the custodianship of John Harvey’s descendants since 1790, with five family members from the seventh and eighth generations working at the brewery today.

A spokesman for Harvey’s said: “We were flattered to read that Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! revealed in a weekend interview in the Guardian that our Sussex Best Bitter is the love of his life!

“It’s great to know we have our very own hit that’s Top of the Hops!”

The BBC has produced a new programme called Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped to celebrate the “special” song’s 40th anniversary.

The hour-long film brings together artists, producers and music experts to give the story of Last Christmas’s creation and its enduring appeal.

Ridgeley returns to Saas-Fee in Switzerland, where the song’s video was shot, visiting the ski lift and alpine chalet which feature in it.

The mayor of Saas-Fee, who was the band’s driver during the shoot, was interviewed and fans discover what happened to the diamante brooch which featured in the video.

Ridgeley, 61, reflected on the ongoing appeal of the hit while speaking to Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2 show Tracks Of My Years.

After Kay said the song “typifies everything” he wants Christmas to be, Ridgeley said: “And I’m pretty sure George would be thrilled to pieces to hear you say that because that was his intention when he wrote it, to define Christmas in some way for people and it has come to do that.

“It is so evocative of an idea of Christmas.

“The keyboard part is reminiscent of sleigh bells, of course there are sleigh bells in it.

“Allied to the video which as you said represents an ideal Christmas, it has all the elements of cheer and so it has established itself as part of the fabric of Christmas.”

George Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016 at the age of 53.

Speaking about whether he listens to the song with a smile, Ridgeley said: “I do, I didn’t for a year or two post his death, it was difficult listening to it.”

He added: “But now it represents a joyful time, it’s Christmas and also, in regard to our career together as Wham!, it represents really good times.”