Full Breakdown
Wham! 10 Days in China: Restored Documentary Revisits 1985 Historic Tour
7/27/2026, 8:40:15 PM
Core Event – Release of a Restored Documentary
A newly assembled film titled “WHAM! 10 Days in China” brings together more than 20 hours of previously unseen Super 16 footage from Wham!’s 1985 visit to the People’s Republic. Director Mike Christie began the restoration in September 2024, spending roughly a year cleaning and re-editing the material. The film, which combines concert clips, backstage moments and fresh interviews with Andrew Ridgeley, former management and Chinese fans, is scheduled to open in theaters on July 28.
Background & Context – First Western Pop Act in China
In 1985 George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley became the first Western pop act to perform in China, playing two concerts—one in Beijing and one in Guangzhou—over a ten-day stay. Their manager Simon Napier-Bell framed the trip as a commercial maneuver to generate buzz for a U.S. breakthrough.
Production History – From Lindsay Anderson’s Aborted Film to Christie’s Restoration
The original documentary was commissioned from veteran director Lindsay Anderson after co-manager Jazz Summers suggested him. Anderson suffered a knee injury on the Great Wall and was dismissed six months later when the band rejected his cut. He retained a taped version titled *If You Were There …* now archived at the University of Stirling.
Video director Andy Morahan re-edited Anderson’s material into *Wham! in China: Foreign Skies*, screened to 72,000 Wembley fans in June 1986. The reels remained sealed in over 100 cans until Christie’s 2024 search uncovered them. After George Michael’s death in 2016, the Anderson cut was shown to researchers and publicly at the BFI’s 2024 Anderson season with the blessing of Ridgeley and Michael’s estate.
Data & Statistics – Tour Reach and Audience Impact
- Duration: 10 days (Beijing and Guangzhou concerts).
- Concerts: Two performances, each attended by thousands.
- Audience Management: Attendees were instructed to remain seated; police removed a man who danced “too exuberantly.”
- Political Sensitivity: Performing the song “Freedom” risked being read as a political statement.
Official Statements & Responses – Perspectives from Ridgeley and Christie
Ridgeley called Anderson’s approach “bloody ludicrous,” while Christie highlighted the documentary’s dual focus on the band and the Chinese viewpoint.
On-the-Ground Reports – Chinese Audience Reactions
Chinese singer Cheng Fangyuan, who recorded Mandarin versions of Wham!’s songs for ticket-holder tapes, called the tour “a historical event.” Audience members recalled a mix of excitement and confusion, with some dancing openly and others remaining seated as instructed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think it counts as a historical event,” — Cheng Fangyuan
- “I thought it was bloody ludicrous,” — Andrew Ridgeley
What’s Next – Theatrical Release
The documentary will be released in cinemas on July 28. No further release plans have been announced, and Anderson’s original cut remains unavailable to the public.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the accessibility of Anderson’s original footage. The Guardian notes that the band could not locate a copy of Anderson’s documentary and relied on alternative material, while also stating that a taped version exists in the University of Stirling archives and was shown to researchers. The extent to which the original cut could ever be publicly released remains unclear.
