Wham! stars Pepsi and Shirlie unrecognisable as they celebrate 40yrs since Last Christmas hit
Wham!’s festive classic Last Christmas celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with a special documentary giving fans an insight into its creation. This Saturday (14 December), a documentary airing on BBC2 will feature never-before-heard stories from one half of Wham!, Andrew Ridgeley. Pop duo Helen ‘Pepsi’ DeMacque Crockett and Shirlie Kemp - who starred in the Last Christmas music video, and sang as backing singers.
It’s been 40 years since Shirlie and Pepsi made their appearance in the video. Memorably, the pair joined George Michael and Andrew on the ski lift and a Christmas house party. Years on, Pepsi & Shirlie are no longer performing as the famous duo and look completely different.
Pepsi, now 65, and Shirlie, 62, have however expressed their excitement about the documentary. And on her social media page where she reunited with Pepsi. Shirlie wrote: “Pepsi & I went to the screening of Wham Last Christmas Unwrapped documentary last night, which will be on BBC2 8.30pm Saturday 14th December ! It's such an emotional film full of tears and joy but also captures exactly why the song and video go hand in hand and how 40 years later it’s still as good now as it was then and such a Christmas classic and lovely seeing our old friend and Last Christmas director”.
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The pop duo previously teased they would be reuniting a month ago. Pepsi wore all purple and sipped on hot chocolate while Shirlie looked very chic in neutrals. Shirlie shared a selfie of the pair of them with her fans and penned: “Can’t wait to tell you all about an amazing trip Pepsi and I had together.”
Shirlie later revealed the pair had been back to the Last Christmas music video locations saying that it gave her a chance to "reflect on the joy & tears” that the song has brought of the “past 40 years”. After filming Last Christmas, Shirlie remained good friends with George Michael until his death on Christmas Day in 2016. George was also godfather to Shirlie’s son, Roman Kemp.
The official synopsis for the documentary reads: “The charming film features a once in a lifetime reunion with some of the genuine group of close friends from the original music video, set against the stunning snow-covered backdrop of Saas-Fee in Switzerland. We’ll see Andrew, Pepsi, Shirlie, and friends revisit the video locations (including the ski lift and instantly recognisable alpine chalet), revealing exclusive, never-before-heard stories from the video that have remained a group secret – until now.
“We hear from the Mayor of Saas-Fee, who 40 years ago, was the band’s driver during the shoot and discover what happened to the iconic diamanté brooch which featured in the video.”
Watch Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped on Saturday 14 December, 8.35pm, BBC2
