Cliff Richard has given his first interview to the BBC since the corporation filmed a police raid on his home, and described his new music as a tribute to the fans who have supported him during the ongoing enquiry into sex abuse claims.
In February the investigation into the singer had “increased significantly in size”, involving “more than one allegation” according to one police chief, but Richard has hit back at the claims against him, calling them “absurd and untrue”.
The singer appeared on the Paul O’Grady Show and said his new single, ‘Golden’, was written in tribute to the fans who had supported him through difficult times.
“Basically it’s saying love affairs don’t last forever, but you and I we’ve stood side by side through the storms together and all through the years you have been golden,” he explained.
“Never mind the gold records, the public have been golden, and so it’s a very emotional song to sing. It’s hard to sing though because it is so emotional; you know we owe so much to the public.”
Richard was accused of sexually assaulting a boy under 16 at a rally in Sheffield in 1985 but he has neither been arrested nor charged with any offence.
Last year the police tipped the BBC off that they would be conducting a raid on the singer’s home, allowing the corporation to broadcast the event live across the world.
His legal team have complained, saying it prompted “a further round of unnecessary and extremely damaging media coverage” to his client “with no due process”.
