Andrew Ridgeley Details His Final Experience With George Michael

Andrew Ridgeley, the former bandmate of George Michael in Wham!, has opened up about the last time he saw his friend before his tragic passing in 2016. In an exclusive interview with People, Ridgeley revealed their shared love for playing Scrabble and how it brought them back to their schoolboy friendship.

"We'd have regular games of Scrabble,” he said. “It was a game that stimulated him, and me also. He’d beaten me the week before, and I was exacting my revenge."

Ridgeley emphasized the significance of their final Scrabble game, saying, "It took us right back to just... the essence of our schoolboy friendship and one-upmanship." He added that he wasn't Michael's only Scrabble partner, showcasing their shared enjoyment of the game.

Later this year, Michael is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which Ridgeley called “obviously a great privilege… He was aware of the meaning of accolades from his peers. He would be very rightly proud, and he deserves his place there."

In his tribute to Michael at the BRITS, Ridgeley said Michael was “a supernova in a firmament of shining lights and stars, and he was probably the finest singing voice and songwriter of his generation. There ain’t too many that held a candle to him.”

When asked what he would say to Michael if he had the chance, Ridgeley's response was light-hearted. "What would I say to him? Oh, let's go and have a drink."

The upcoming Netflix documentary, WHAM!, set to debut on July 5, will provide a deeper insight into the journey of the iconic duo. Watch the trailer below.