On Thursday, detectives from South Yorkshire police raided an apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire owned by Sir Cliff Richard and removed some items for analysis. As a result, Sir Cliff was planning to return to the UK last night, cutting short his summer holiday in his Algarve home.
The 73-year old singer may be interviewed by police to answer questions in connection with a sex abuse claim dating to an alleged event in the 1980s at a Billy Graham rally and concert.
Sir Cliff was unaware that his home was being raided as he relaxed in the Algarve and quickly issued a statement denying the allegation and pledging to cooperate with any investigation.
A police spokesman said, “A search warrant was granted after police received an allegation of a sexual nature dating back to the 1980s, involving a boy who was under the age of 16 at the time. No one has been arrested and the owner of the property was not present.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, Sir Cliff said, “For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online. The allegations are completely false. Up until now I have chosen not to dignify the false allegations with a response, as it would just give them more oxygen. However, the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except it would appear to the press.
"I am not presently in the UK but it goes without saying that I will co-operate fully should the police wish to speak to me."
"Beyond stating that today's allegation is completely false it would not be appropriate to say anything further until the police investigation has concluded."
A lifelong bachelor, Sir Cliff has suffered with good grace the rumours about his private life, relived temporarily by his romance with tennis star Sue Barker, and in 1996 denied he was gay.
One of the very few comments recorded on this topic, ““Would you not come to my concerts because I was gay? I hope not. If I was gay would it make any difference?” were uttered by the star during a TV interview in Australia.
To most of Sir Cliff’s fans, the music he has created and the success he has enjoyed over decades in a notoriously fickle industry, his charity work, his popular Algarve wine, and his role model as a devoted Christian are of greater import than his sexuality.
In a recent interview with Owen Gee on Algarve-based radio station Kiss FM, the singer put down his youthful appearance to good food, plenty of sleep and he recommended that people take exercise.
Sir Cliff divides his time between his villa in Barbados, his retreat in Portugal and his Surrey home, a lifestyle affordable as a result of his diverse buisness interests and 250 million records sold in a long music career making him the biggest-selling UK artist ever.
Sir Cliff’s status as a lifelong bachelor has made him the subject of often cruel assumptions about his sexuality but his legions of fans have never taken this matter seriously. This investigation into child abuse is another matter.
