Andrew Ridgeley is best known as one half of the iconic 80s pop duo, Wham! but has largely shunned the spotlight since the band split in 1986 – and is now virtually unrecognisable
Wham! legend Andrew Ridgeley, now miles apart from his 1980s teen idol heyday, remains mostly out of the limelight since the group’s split in 1986 after their last gig at Wembley. Despite a brief attempt at solo stardom, he shifted to penning tunes for other stars and only re-emerged publicly to honour late bandmate George Michael, who passed away on Christmas Day in 2016.
Opting for a low-key lifestyle in Cornwall, the singer, worth an estimated £30 million thanks to Wham!’s timeless classics, devotes time to charity through cycling fundraisers. Recently, however, Andrew popped up on Magic FM, chatting with broadcaster Sonali Shah about the evergreen classic Careless Whisper in a documentary featuring unseen footage and interviews, reports OK!.
Sonali shared snaps alongside Andrew, whose iconic dark locks are now a distinguished grey, captioning: “40 years after its first release, we look back at the story behind this iconic song and explore its legacy with rare audio and exclusive interviews.”
Clad in casual gear with a radiant smile, Andrew has evidently embraced change while maintaining privacy, especially post-breakup from socialite Amanda Cronin. Last year, he offered a rare glimpse into his love life, revealing he’s in multiple relationships and isn’t looking to settle down with one person.
In an interview with the Telegraph, he said: “I have several [romantic] relationships. Love comes in a variety of forms. I had a long-term relationship with Keren for many years, and we still have a great affection for each other. But at this point in time, I’m not aspiring to a monogamous one, or to commit to a single person for the foreseeable future.”
He continued: “The way my life is makes it a bit tricky to hold down any one particular relationship, because I’m not in any one particular place. But yes, I am happily single.”
Andrew was in a 27-year relationship with Bananarama’s Keren Woodward from 1990 to 2017. Despite their long-term partnership, they never got married and lived together in a restored 15th-century farmhouse in Cornwall with Keren’s son.
Speaking to The Mirror, Andrew described their current relationship as friendly, saying: “As close friends, with different lives, we see each other as circumstances allow and retain a great affection for one another.”
