Wham! crowned UK’s official Christmas number one with Last Christmas after LadBaby steps back
The 39-year wait means Last Christmas is now the longest-ever journey to the number one spot on the festive charts
Wham! have made chart history after their song Last Christmas secured the number one spot, 39 years after it was first submitted.
The Christmas number one was produced by the late George Michael with the aim of topping the charts in 1984, but was denied the top spot by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas.
The 39-year wait means Last Christmas is now the longest-ever journey to the number one spot on the festive charts.
Wham!'s Andrew Ridgeley said: "Last Christmas has finally ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after Official Christmas Number 1, which was always the main goal.
"George would be beside himself after all of these years, finally obtained Christmas Number 1."
Ridgeley said it was a "huge disappointment" for the pair not to reach the top spot in 1984 as they believed it was “nailed on”.
"Had it not been for Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?, it probably would’ve been number one,” the 60-year-old said.
"Thwarted for many years subsequent to that – the perennial bridesmaid – over recent years it seems it’s become part of the fabric of Christmas for a lot of people.
"Christmas number one has been a long-held ambition for Yog (Michael) and I, and for the fans, too. It’ll mean a lot to Wham!’s legacy – it’s the crowning glory."
Michael, who had an extensive solo career with singles including Careless Whisper, died on Christmas Day in 2016 aged 53.
The Official Charts said Last Christmas was streamed 13.3 million times over the last seven days - the most-streamed Christmas Number 1.
For the past five years, LadBaby had secured the top spot, setting a record for the longest-running streak at number one.
They announced in November they would not enter a song this year opening up the competition to numerous other possible contenders.
Wham! faced competition from Eurovision star Sam Ryder, Mariah Carey and The Pogues.
The Pogues iconic Fairytale of New York received increased attention this year after frontman Shane MacGowan died in November.
Ryder came second in the competition after a lightning tour of 26 performances in six days to promote his song.
He told Official Charts: "When we wrote this song, in the blazing month of August, we didn’t even expect it to chart.
"But here we are, in a Mariah Carey and Wham! sandwich, and we’re the filling. I’m stoked!"
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