Sam Ryder breaks his silence after Wham! beat him to the Christmas number one spot

Sam Ryder has returned to social media after Wham! beat him to the Christmas number one spot with their iconic song Last Christmas.

The 34-year-old Eurovision star narrowly missed out on top spot with his own festive song, after the much-loved '80s song finally topped the charts after a 39-year wait.

George Michael – who died on Christmas Day in 2016 aged 53 – released the festive tune in 1984, but it had never managed to reach the coveted top spot during the Christmas period until Friday evening.

It was denied the top spot the year of its release by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?

After the Official Chart show, Sam posted a video of himself on Instagram reaching second place with You're Christmas To Me, praising George Michael for 'inspiring generations'.

George Michael's festive song from 1984 is now at Christmas number one for the first time

Sam posted a video of himself on Instagram reaching second place with You're Christmas To Me, praising George Michael for 'inspiring generations'

Speaking to fans on camera, Sam said: 'If you've just heard the news, I can let you know with an open heart of gratitude that we are Britain's number two at Christmas!

“Bigger Andrew. Make the whole Wham bigger! team. Just an absolutely unstoppable force, and rightly so. They are icons! They are legends. You know what: it feels great to be part of a Wham! and a Mariah sandwich.

I can tell you that for sure. And number two has always been a magic number for us, and that won't change.

'I want to thank you very much for the support and the faith and the trust.

“This was a position that I cannot explain or emphasize enough. That it was so unexpected for us to take part and I think you have a responsibility as an artist in the running for Christmas number one…

“You have to… You have to make it a race and we did everything we could to get the number one spot.

'Do you know why? It's because we're inspired by the legends we work with! Mariah. Wham!

'These artists didn't become icons and legends by never giving their all in their careers. So we were inspired and followed by their blazing bright footsteps.

Eurovision star Sam launched an aggressive marketing campaign in the battle to get his new song, You're Christmas To Me, up the charts

'I think it's cool to have a tight Christmas Number 1 race, it's the most prestigious Number One of the year and we wanted to make it as entertaining and joyful as possible for all of you at home!

'Thank you for your involvement! And so much love again for Andrew! I just chatted to him on Radio 1 with Jack Saunders and I see they are related.

'It took them a long time to get that Christmas number one for the actual Christmas week. So I'm sure George is up there, with a smile and he continues to inspire future generations of singers. Me included!

“Big up Andrew, thanks for continuing that legacy. Yes, I have stock! What a day! Blessed! Peace!'

Amid one of the fiercest battles for the Christmas crown in recent memory, the race was almost too close to be labeled as 80s icons! battled the likes of Mariah Carey and The Pogues to claim the title 39 years after its release.

The song became the bookies' favorite to climb the charts following an earlier rush by The Pogues fans to get Fairytale of New York to Number 1 in memory of the Irish folk band's frontman Shane MacGowan, who died in November.

Ultimately, the band's duet with Kirsty MacColl failed to make the top five, which was completed by Eurovision star Sam Ryder's You're Christmas To Me, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You, Noah Kahan's Stick Season and Ed Sheeran. and Elton John's duet Merry Christmas.

Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You came third on the chart

The Pogues' Fairytale of New York was a contender for Christmas number one after frontman Shane MacGowan died in November

Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts, said of Wham!'s historic achievement: 'After taking first place for the first time last year, it is fantastic that WHAM! have finally claimed the honor of Christmas number 1.

'Of course WHAM's victory means! also that someone has to come second and it's hard to remember a harder working Christmas Number 2 artist than Sam Ryder, who has more than thirty shows under his belt in the last seven days. to take the crown.

'Sam has truly made it a chart topper to remember – and we should be comforted by the many years it has taken for an iconic song like Last Christmas to claim this chart-topping single.'