Andrew Ridgeley on Wham in China

Wham’s 1985 tour of China serves as a cultural touchstone, highlighting the band’s attempt to break into the U.S. market through a state-sanctioned, quasi-diplomatic performance in Beijing. Beyond pop history, the Glasgow School of Art faces a precarious future, with restoration costs for the fire-damaged Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece now estimated at £265 million, casting doubt on the institution's ability to rebuild. Meanwhile, the craft of costume design emerges as a sophisticated, often overlooked discipline, blending engineering and history to define character identity, as evidenced by iconic pieces from *Titanic* and *Downton Abbey*. Finally, a decade after its debut, *Fleabag* remains a definitive cultural shift in television, credited with normalizing the depiction of female shame, self-sabotage, and complex interiority, while setting a new standard for dark, character-driven comedy in the modern era.