Former Wham! singer Andrew Ridgeley has said his late bandmate George Michael would have been “immensely proud” to receive a Fellowship of The Ivors Academy.
The 63-year-old accepted the award on Michael’s behalf at the 2026 Ivor Novello Awards at the Grosvenor Hotel in London, and said Michael would have recognised the way modern songwriters at the ceremony spoke about the “art and the craft” of songwriting.
Ridgeley told the Press Association: “It’s an honour and a privilege to bear witness to his work full stop, and to accept on his behalf, he would have been immensely proud to be recognised by the academy in this way, to be placed amongst some of the finest songwriters.
“A great moment, and very, very touching indeed, and he would have been extremely moved.”
Together, Michael and Ridgeley achieved five UK number one singles and six top 10 albums, including two number ones, as part of Wham!, who are best known for songs such as Last Christmas, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go and I’m Your Man.
The duo split up in 1986, and Michael began his solo career a year later with the release of his debut album Faith.
He died on Christmas Day in 2016.
Ridgeley said: “I think a lot of the songwriting artists this evening have spoken about their art and the craft in the way that he perceived it and understood it, and they’ve spoken very urgently on that.
“I thought Kano and Kae (Tempest) expressed the fundamental need and reason for songwriting for them as people, and George would recognise that.”
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke was also given a Fellowship of The Ivors Academy during the ceremony.
Presented by the Ivors Academy, the peer-judged award ceremony celebrates and recognises songwriting and composing.
Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalia was named international songwriter of the year, while 4 Non Blondes singer and guitarist Linda Perry received a special international gong.
