It seems so incomplete being here without George. I had never imagined life without him

AS he walked through the Swiss Alpine village where the Last Christmas video was shot 40 years ago, Andrew Ridgeley felt a rush of happy memories but also deep sadness that his best friend since childhood could not join him.

- NICOLA METHVEN

He returned to Saas-Fee with friends who took part in the shoot in 1984, including backing singers Shirlie Kemp and Pepsi DeMacque, to mark the 40th anniversary, and in tribute to Wham! frontman George Michael, who died on Christmas Day 2016 aged 53.

"It was a real delight and a privilege to go back with old friends," Andrew said. "But it was bittersweet, he was in our thoughts the whole time."

As he says in a BBC documentary to mark the anniversary: "There is an incompleteness being here without George. When he left us, he died at Christmas. To lose such a dear friend, when you have a particular bond, it was truly desperate. He was my other half, I had never conceived of a future without him."

The video was unusual because it was all narrative with no performance. The story shows George with a new girl, while Andrew is with his ex from the previous year, the one who gave his heart away the next day after he had given it to her.

Andrew, 61, said it was great to go back with the gang, including longstanding pals Jon Fowler, Cheryl Harrison, Pat Fernandes and David Ridler. He added: "That was one of the fundamental appeals of the video, that the majority of the cast were friends. People could see it was authentic."