BACK FROM THE BRINK
AFTER FOUR YEARS OF HELL, THE ICONIC SINGER IS WALKING IN THE LIGHT AGAIN
Sir Cliff Richard clears his name
Walking past throngs of fans and media singing his own song “Congratulations”, all looked normal as star crooner Sir Cliff Richard waved to supporters. But this time it was different.
Cliff (77) was leaving a British High Court, having put to rest a harrowing four-year legal battle against the BBC and South Yorkshire Police in a fight for his right to privacy.
It was August 2014 when images of the South Yorkshire Police raiding Sir Cliff’s Berkshire home were plastered all over the BBC, after an allegation was made to the Metropolitan Police by a man saying he’d been sexually assaulted by the singer at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium in 1985. Just a year earlier, Britain had been reeling after revelations that Rolf Harris and the late Jimmy Savile were involved in historic child sexual abuse scandals during Scotland
Yard’s Operation Yewtree.
The BBC reported Cliff was under investigation and hired a helicopter to film the subsequent raid. However, a decision in 2016 saw prosecutors confirm no charges would be laid against the singer and his name was cleared.
But, as Cliff argued, the damage had been done. Charities he’d worked with for decades requested he not be involved in their public events, his businesses started to suffer and he feared being seen with children – something he says he’s still fearful of.
“I won’t go anywhere near children now,” he says. “Why? I've spent my whole life hugging people’s grandchildren. But because of this thing, there are aspects of my life that are different now. For instance, when I’m having photos taken, I try not to make contact,” he revealed in an interview after the case was closed.
In a decision he didn’t take lightly, Cliff took the BBC and South Yorkshire Police to court, arguing that a serious invasion of his privacy had occurred.
The turmoil has now been replaced by relief as the four-year legal battle came to an end with a high court judge ruling the BBC had invaded his privacy by broadcasting the raid.
It has been reported that Cliff has spent $6.5 million clearing his name, however, he was awarded $404,000 in damages for the impact on his life, and is entitled to recover further damages at a later date. But it wasn’t about the money, Cliff insists, rather setting a precedent so innocent people’s names won’t get dragged through the mud again.
“The break-in to my apartment was three years, eleven months, four days ago. I think, ‘I’m past all that now, it’s in my past,’ but I still find I can’t speak about it too well. I’m controlling myself at the moment, but I’m sure when I speak to people about this next, I’ll be weeping again,” the visibly emotional and relieved singer says.
“The stress has just been ginormous. I still have a cough that I caught two years ago and it won’t go away. I’ve had X-rays and chest scans, and they’re clear. It may be psychological. Whatever it is it still affects me.”
The devastating impact on his life will last for years, he believes, as he reveals the hopelessness he felt at being targeted by a news organisation he respected.
“I comforted myself as best I could but it was the most helpless, hopeless feeling I’ve ever had. I took comfort from things I’d read in the Bible. I believe institutions like the
BBC are things that we should trust. That’s how I feel now. Leading up to that was all the helpless, hopeless feelings.”
He continued tearfully,
“I spent so long trying to do things right. To be an ambassador for Britain. Then it was such a shock to think, ‘How can I undo this?’ It seems an impossible thing to undo.”
However, as his win in court sinks in, Sir Cliff knows that thanks to friends, family and his fans, he will continue to make music and focus on what’s important in his life.
“I’ll be alright. I’ll survive it all. I have an album coming out with a track called ‘Rise Up’. I’m not dead. I can be stronger because of this. What I’m doing tonight is something rather nice. I'm taking a bereaved friend out for dinner. And that’s good. That surpasses all these other things.”