Sir Cliff Richard slams ‘illegal collusion’ over BBC film of police raid

Sir Cliff’s house in Berkshire was the subject of a police raid in 2014, which was broadcast on live television by the BBC following a tip-off by the South Yorkshire Police.

However it appears that the apology will do little to assuage Sir Cliff, who told Susanna Reid today in an interview with Good Morning Britain that he felt “tarnished” by the accusations that were broadcast around the world, and would be campaigning for those accused but not charged of sexual abuse to have greater anonymity.

“They took my phone, a CD of warm-up exercises for my voice, a book that Billy Graham signed for me, postcards my mother sent me, ‘ he says”. I was told: “Just take it gently”, but I couldn’t do that either.

‘I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. “But that’s one thing I am going to have to try and get rid of”. If adults do what they want to do behind their bedroom doors it’s absolutely up to them.

With the media camped outside his home, Richard collapsed in his kitchen the following day.

“I have had my arms around their grandchildren, that’s my life, I’m a family entertainer and that’s what I have done”.

“I am very cagey now when I am having pictures taken with people”, he said.

“I was on my knees in tears in the kitchen”.

Sir Cliff has barely been home to the United Kingdom in the past two years, preferring to stay overseas at his various holiday residences.

“Somebody got me to my feet and said: ‘You’ve got to stand up, you are not guilty, hold your head up, you can do it'”.

Cliff Richard attends a press conference to announce details of his new album at Gilgamesh, London, March 7, 2011.

The case was dropped last week by the Crown Prosecution Service which said there was “insufficient evidence” to prosecute the 75-year-old.

The musician added: “There must have been illegal collusion”.

“The BBC’s responsibility is to report fully stories that are in the public interest”.

Sir Cliff Richard is considering legal action over the televised South Yorkshire Police raid of his home.

Sir Cliff berated SYP, saying they had failed to “accept a call” from five policemen who are now retired but who had volunteered to make statements in his defence.