‘Cliff seemed broken by BBC’s coverage of raid’
GLORIA Hunniford has told a High Court judge how Sir Cliff Richard seemed “broken” following BBC coverage of a police raid on his home.
The TV and radio presenter told Mr Justice Mann that she detected a “real emotional and mental change” in the singer following a broadcast of police searching his apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, nearly four years ago.
More recently 77-yearold Sir Cliff seemed more like his “old self” but “still couldn’t stop talking about how violated and betrayed he felt”, she said.
Her concerns were outlined in a witness statement given to the judge during a High Court trial in London.
Sir Cliff has taken legal action over BBC coverage of the police search, which was staged after a sex assault allegation, in August 2015 and wants damages at “top end” of the scale.
He says the coverage was a “very serious invasion” of his privacy.
The BBC claims coverage of the search was accurate and in good faith.
Mr Justice Mann began overseeing the trial on Thursday.
The presenter said she had watched the BBC coverage of the search.
“I could not believe what I was seeing,” she said.
“I was immediately very concerned for [Sir Cliff ]. He is a gentle and kind soul and I was extremely worried about how he would be reacting.”
She said her fears were well-founded.
“He seemed utterly distraught that the search and allegations against him had been broadcast so widely around the world, and about what everyone must be thinking about him,” she said. “I was exceptionally worried for [Sir Cliff] because I had never heard him like this ever before.
“In my experience, he has always been the most positive and upbeat of people, but speaking to him he seemed like a different person; broken and extremely confused.”