Lancashire: Wham! Last Christmas model recalls 'hilarious' video shoot

The model who played George Michael's romantic partner in the music video for Wham's "Last Christmas" expressed that she feels "incredibly fortunate" as the song celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Kathy Hill, hailing from Accrington, shared a funny memory of filming the holiday video. She admitted that she had tried out for the role while nursing a bit of a hangover and felt indifferent about whether she got the part or not.

In an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire, she expressed her excitement about landing the job, saying she was clearly thrilled.

Created by George Michael in 1984, this song expresses the heartbreak of unreturned feelings from the viewpoint of someone who has been hurt in the past and is now hesitant to open their heart again.

It topped the charts in 16 different countries and has accumulated four billion audio streams along with one billion views for its music videos.

Hill worked as a dental nurse in her hometown of Lancashire and then in Manchester, where she came across an advertisement seeking models.

She eventually found herself working in Milan, Tokyo, and London before landing the part of the ex-girlfriend in the Last Christmas music video. This role took her to the picturesque Swiss chalet scenery of Saas Fee.

"It didn’t offer a huge paycheck. I was pretty well off at that time, having traveled a lot, so I thought, 'Why not go for the audition? It sounds enjoyable,' and I felt pretty at ease about it," she explained.

Since Hill was chosen for the role of the first "special someone" who ultimately gave away the lover's heart, she mentioned that she was provided with vibrant, colorful tops to wear.

"In the video, I wanted to wear something colorful because I’m playing the role of the ex, while [co-star] Debbie needed to dress in darker shades," she explained.

She explained that collaborating with the Wham! group was "easygoing and wonderful," contrasting it with other modeling jobs where it often takes "a while to connect with people since it's your first time meeting them."

In reference to the iconic dinner scene where their eyes connect over glasses of red wine, she mentioned, "There came a moment when I couldn't take another sip."

In that picture, you can tell that George is gazing at me while I'm returning his look. I'm pretending to sip my wine because, to be honest, Andrew and I had quite a bit to drink. It was really funny!

In reality, she was involved with the musician Vangelis, who had received an Oscar for his score in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire.

She even put on his long gray coat while they were shooting the video.

"He didn't want me to go to Switzerland because George was incredibly attractive. He even offered to pay me to stay back, but I wouldn’t have accepted it regardless. I'm just really happy I went," she remarked.

While George Michael was involved with women during the early years of his career, he came out as gay in 1998.

He passed away on Christmas Day in 2016, and Hill fondly recalls him as "a beautiful spirit."

She thinks that "Last Christmas" resonates with people of all ages, mentioning that her 96-year-old mother and her 33-year-old twin kids are both fans of the song.

The song has a strikingly original vibe – it feels like you're hearing it for the very first time, and the lyrics are crafted so beautifully.

"We had an incredible experience – I truly enjoyed every moment and feel so fortunate to have been a part of it."

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