English singer-songwriter and pop icon, 1963–2016
A string of memorabilia from Freddie Mercury, George Michael and Dolly Parton headlines recent auctions, with guitars, jackets and other items fetching high prices as collectors chase iconic music-era artefacts. The Guardian and BBC Business report on canvassed items from Mercury’s staged charity appearances to George Michael’s Faith-era archive and Parton’s chart-topping legacy.
A new documentary uses archival Wham! footage to examine the 1985 China tour, its tensions with director Lindsay Anderson, and the broader cultural moment as China opened to the West. Ridgeley and Michael are featured, with new interviews and unseen material that cast their trip in a provocative light.
European Pride celebrations are unfolding in a climate of heightened security and renewed calls for rights, unity, and continued vigilance after a Berlin attack tied to LGBT+ events. London and Brighton hosts push for WorldPride 2032, highlighting historic progress and ongoing battles against homophobia.