Shirlie Kemp’s pop career in Wham! has certainly in the mind of many fans in recent days.
With the release of Netflix’s What! documentary earlier this month, viewers have been able gain more insight into the careers the late George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.
Furthermore, the 1980s duo’s backup singers and dancers, Pepsi and Shirlie, were also part of the documentary.
Despite her talent, Shirlie had other career plans before embarking on a profession in entertainment.
However, it was her former boyfriend and fellow Wham! star Andrew Ridgley who encouraged her to dance while him and George performed at a small gig. The rest, as they say, is history.
But what do we know about their romance, why they split and how they’ve remained friends today? Read on and we’ll tell you…
Shirlie Kemp’s romance with Wham! star Andrew Ridgely
Shirlie, who previously aspired to train as a horse-riding instructor, first met George and Andrew at their former school, Bushey Meads comprehensive, in Hertfordshire.
Speaking on Greatest Hits Radio, Shirlie said: “Because my form room was a music room, he [George] would queue up outside my class and I just remember the boy with the curly hair and the violin case.”
Opening up about Andrew, she added: “I never really spoke to him, I remember Andrew from school, just kind of remembered his face vaguely.
Andrew had all the charisma — I went out with Andrew for two years.
“But it wasn’t until I went to our local pub one night with my brother… and I heard someone say: ‘Hello Shirlie’ in such a lovely posh voice, and I looked up it was the boy from school [Andrew]!”
Andrew and Shirlie went on to have a two-year relationship during Wham!’s success. She has previously said: “Andrew had all the charisma — I went out with Andrew for two years.”
The relationship between the youngsters eventually run its course, but they have remained firm friends over the years. After their break up, George introduced Shirlie to her now-husband, Martin Kemp.
Shirlie Kemp on Wham! documentary
Shirlie recently opened up about showing the Wham! documentary to her son Roman Kemp. George is godfather to both of Shirlie and Martin’s children.
Speaking to Virgin Radio UK, Shirlie said: “I took my son Roman, who’s 30, [to see the film]. He wasn’t around when Wham! were. I thought, I really want you to see who George and Andrew were, they were my best friends, and what happened in those days.
“He came away and had this whole new vision of what Wham! was and just said: ‘I’m really proud of you mum, you’ve had an incredible life.’
“To go from zero to be playing Wembley Stadium by the end of it, for me it does feel like a different life and to watch the documentary it gave me that feeling of, well, I’ve actually achieved something in life.”
Catch Shirlie on Sunday Brunch today (July 16) at 930am on Channel 4.
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