In April 1985, Wham! became the first Western pop stars to perform in communist China, a historic visit that was part publicity stunt and part diplomatic mission. A new documentary, Wham! 10 Days in China, directed by Mike Christie, delves into the political, cultural, and personal story behind the tour, using over 20 hours of previously unseen footage.
The Unlikely Ambassadors
At the time, George Michael (21) and Andrew Ridgeley (22) were accustomed to screaming crowds, but in China they faced immobile audiences banned from standing or dancing. Chinese authorities strictly enforced the rule, and one audience member was dragged out for attempting to dance. The documentary includes interviews with Ridgeley, who returned to China for the first time in 40 years for the film.
According to Christie, Ridgeley was keen to understand the tour's legacy. "Andrew hadn't been back since 1985, he was very keen to come with us," Christie said. "We were never going to film scenes of Andrew going to this restaurant he went to with George or whatever... But he became interested in the idea of doing it because he wanted to understand the legacy and the [tour's] impact."
Behind-the-Scenes Chaos
The tour was originally a publicity scheme by manager Simon Napier-Bell to boost Wham!'s US career after Michael developed vocal cord polyps. But the trip was plagued by problems: director Lindsay Anderson was hired to film a documentary but had no interest in Wham!, leading to his firing. His footage was later refashioned into a promotional film, Wham! in China: Foreign Skies.
Ridgeley admitted he was not on his best behavior, walking out of a press conference and showing visible frustration. Christie noted that Ridgeley insisted on keeping those uncomfortable moments in the film for authenticity. "To give them their dues when they saw cuts, they fought to keep some of the more uncomfortable moments in because they wanted it to be authentic," Christie said.
Staggering Impact
Despite the challenges, the tour had a lasting cultural impact. One attendee, Cui Jian, quit his job after the concert and became known as the godfather of Chinese rock. Christie called the impact "staggering" and said the film revealed the "amazing bond" between Michael and Ridgeley. "We could see this amazing bond between George and Andrew... I think we have a lot to thank Andrew for within the [later] career and appreciation of George Michael," Christie said.
The documentary also recounts a disturbing incident: a backing musician suffered a severe mental breakdown on a flight to the second show, stabbing himself and forcing the cockpit door, causing the plane to plummet. Neither Michael nor Ridgeley were on that flight.
A Warts-and-All Account
Christie, who started work on the documentary in 2024 after discovering cans of Super 16 film in storage, said he was surprised by the quality of the live performances. "I was staggered by the quality of the live performances. I didn't expect a 12-piece band with that level of musicianship," he said.
Wham! 10 Days in China is in cinemas now.
