Sir Cliff ‘broken’ after raid coverage

COURT: Television presenter Gloria Hunniford has told a High Court judge how Sir Cliff Richard seemed “broken” after BBC coverage of a police raid on his home. She told Mr Justice Mann she saw a “real emotional and mental change” in the singer.

TELEVISION PRESENTER Gloria Hunniford has told a High Court judge how Sir Cliff Richard seemed “broken” after BBC coverage of a police raid on his home.

She told Mr Justice Mann that she encountered a “real emotional and mental change” in the singer following the broadcast of South Yorkshire Police searching his home in Sunningdale, Berkshire, nearly four years ago.

Even though Sir Cliff now seems more his old self and is looking a lot better, the 77-yearold “still cannot stop talking about how violated and betrayed he feels about the BBC decision to broadcast the police search of his apartment and create the media storm that ensued”, she said.

Her concerns came out in a witness statement to the judge during a High Court trial in London. Sir Cliff has taken legal action over the BBC coverage of the police search, which took place after a sex assault allegation in August 2014.

He is asking for damages at the “top end” of the scale, saying the coverage was a “very serious invasion” of his privacy.

The BBC disputes that claim, saying the coverage was accurate and in good faith.

In her statement, Ms Hunniford explained she had watched the coverage of the search and she could not believe what she was seeing.

“He (Sir Cliff) is a gentle and kind soul and I was extremely worried about how he would be reacting.”

She told the court her fears were well-founded, adding: “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.

“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.

“This impression persisted over the two years that followed.

“I encountered a real emotional and mental change in him, even a physical one.”

The High Court heard Gavin Millar QC, who is leading the BBC’s legal team, outline a text message exchange between BBC reporter Dan Johnson, who covered the search of Sir Cliff’s home, and Carrie Goodwin, head of corporate communications at South Yorkshire Police.

He said Ms Goodwin texted Mr Johnson after the BBC broadcast to ask how the day had gone.

Mr Johnson referred to a “bonkers but brilliant” day to which Ms Goodwin replied she was getting “lots of grief from the media” because “everyone thinks we tipped you off ”.

Mr Millar suggested the force had gone out of its way to enable BBC journalists to report the search in the way they wanted, a suggestion that Ms Goodwin denied.

Lawyers for the broadcaster maintain it acted in good faith and its journalists had respected Sir Cliff’s “presumption of innocence”.

Meanwhile, Sir Cliff ’s business manager Malcolm Smith told the judge that police had initially estimated that their investigation would last no more than 12 weeks but it “dragged on” for two years.

“In our minds there was no truth to the allegation being made, no charges would be brought and then (Sir Cliff ) would be able to swiftly move on with his life,” he said.

Paul Morris, for Sir Cliff, told the judge that the investigation had been “astonishingly long”.

I encountered a real emotional and mental change in him. TV presenter Gloria Hunniford commenting on how Sir Cliff Richard had been affected.