Roman Kemp pays emotional tribute to his late godfather George Michael

Roman Kemp paid tribute to his late godfather George Michael throughout Sunday’s broadcast of Royal Carols: Together At Christmas.

Late singer George, who died in 2016 on the age of 53, was named as Roman’s godfather after he famously launched Roman’s dad and mom, mom Shirlie Holliman and father Martin Kemp.

Shirlie was a again up dancer for Wham! whereas Martin rose to fame within the 80s together with his band Spandau Ballet earlier than launching an performing profession on EastEnders.

And, after it was introduced George’s former band Wham!’s 1984 music Last Christmas lastly scored a festive primary this week, 39 years after its preliminary launch, Martin had some transferring phrases to say about hitmaker George throughout the carol service, which was filmed at Westminster Abbey in London earlier this month.

Martin mentioned: ‘George was a person of nice kindness and compassion, giving a lot to these in want, particularly to kids, who tonight are on the very coronary heart of this Christmas carol service.

Roman Kemp paid tribute to his late godfather George Michael throughout Sunday’s broadcast of Royal Carols: Together At Christmas

It comes after it was introduced George’s former band Wham!’s 1984 music Last Christmas lastly scored a festive primary this week (George pictured within the Last Christmas video)

‘And I do know that despite the fact that he isn’t right here bodily, he is actually right here with us in spirit now.

‘George was my godfather. He was there from the day I used to be born. He helped to encourage not solely myself however so many others.’

The spotlight of the present was a poignant musical tribute paid to John Lennon and George Michael, with the carol service filmed 43 years to the day the previous Beatle was shot useless on December 8 1980.

Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier performed Wham!’s hit Last Christmas on John’s upright piano, which was owned by the group’s singer and later solo star George, loaned by his property.

Wham! lastly obtained a Christmas Number One this week with Last Christmas after 39 years.

The traditional tune – written and produced by the late George – lastly reached primary within the UK and in addition made historical past by setting the report for the longest-ever journey to the UK Christmas Number One.

Speaking to Official Charts, Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley mentioned: ‘Last Christmas has lastly ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after Official Christmas Number One, which was at all times the primary objective.

‘George could be beside himself [that] in spite of everything of those years, [we’ve] lastly obtained Christmas Number One. Yog [George] mentioned that he wrote Last Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas Number One. It’s mission achieved!’

Late singer George, who died in 2016 on the age of 53, was named as Roman’s godfather after he famously launched Roman’s dad and mom, mom Shirlie Holliman and father Martin Kemp (L-R: Martin, Shirlie and Roman pictured in September) 

The spotlight of Royal Carols: Together At Christmas was a poignant musical tribute paid to John Lennon and George Michael (pictured)

Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier (pictured) performed Wham!’s hit Last Christmas on John’s piano, which was owned by the group’s singer and later solo star George

The music was initially stored off the highest spot by Band-Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

However, Last Christmas confronted sturdy competitors this yr, from Sam Ryder and The Pogues.

Sam – who rose to fame after representing the UK on the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 – was chasing the festive high spot with You’re Christmas To Me, 

He mentioned it will be ‘attractive’ if Fairytale of New York pipped him to the publish after Shane MacGowan’s loss of life in November.

Wham! lastly obtained a Christmas Number One this week with Last Christmas after 39 years (Wham! star Andrew Ridgeley pictured)

He advised the Daily Star: ‘I’ve obtained love in my coronary heart for the Fairytale of New York state of affairs.

‘That’s by no means obtained to Number One and that may be a stunning second, particularly now Shane MacGowan’s left us.

‘There’s quite a lot of tragedy wrapped up in that music – two attractive voices now not with us and brought too quickly. That’s me taking a stunning romantic view on it.”

Fans had been campaigning to get The Pogues to the top of the charts following MacGowan’s death on November 30.