Cliff Richard: 'A Cloud Has Lifted'

BBC Radio 2 interview.

Cliff Richard: Case Upheld

What a monumental waste of time and money this has been.

Cliff Richard: Eh?

You sure about dis?

Cliff Richard: A New Face In Hell

Will this please stop.

Cliff Richard: When Will This Madness End?

Sake.

Cliff Richard: Back For Good

Good news.

Sir Cliff Richard: Good

Daily Star and BBC News. 

First touted in his Mail interview last month.

Great to hear he's going ahead.

Injustice: Gambo, Cliff and Nigel Unite!

Sir Cliff Richard, Paul Gambaccini and Nigel Evans will campaign for a change in law to protect the anonymity of those accused of sexual assault and rape.

The singer, broadcaster and MP met in Surrey over the weekend to discuss plans to set up a victims support group, to highlight 'the unnecessary pain and suffering' felt by those wrongly accused, and to campaign for anonymity for sexual assault defendants before charge.

Nigel Evans, who was acquitted of nine charges of rape and sexual assault in 2014, said: “We have got common ground but there are also a load of other people we have common ground with… some are famous before it happens, others become famous because of it... And if we can do without [and] other countries can, why don’t we just get on with it?”

English law protected the identity of rape defendants until the 1980’s and several European countries, such as Germany, ensure anonymity until conviction...

Telegraph.

Nigel Evans is probably a bit of an old lech, but who ain't, it's not a crime.

Cliff Richard: All My Trials

It was only the day after the raid that the enormity of the accusations against him hit home, and he simply lost the power to stand up straight.

‘That was the moment of my biggest despair. I just collapsed. I couldn’t imagine what depression was like, but I have an idea now. I felt as though I was in this hole and I had no means of getting out.

‘I didn’t know how I could face the future or face my friends or face my family. I was in tears, I have to admit.

I was on my knees in tears in the kitchen. I was thinking: “How can I get out of this? How can I ever climb out of this hole.” 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.” ’

Last week, Cliff was in tears again, this time for rather different reasons. He had just heard the news that no charges would be brought against him. After a two-year police investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service had taken just a month to throw out all the allegations against him.

As flimsy as the ‘evidence’ was (‘There wasn’t any evidence. Not a single piece’), Cliff had feared that his Kafkaesque nightmare might end up with him behind bars. ‘I always knew I was innocent, but I always worried I would end up in prison. Or at least having to face a court.’

How did he react when he learned it was all over? ‘I sat on the edge of my bed and wept,’ he says, candidly. ‘I couldn’t help it with all the emotion pent up all that time.’ ...

Daily Mail.

Astounding, lengthy interview in the Daily Mail about Cliff's terrifying ordeal.

Cliff Richard: Scandal

ALMOST two years ago, alongside camera crews from the BBC, South Yorkshire Police descended on the home of Sir Cliff Richard. 

It took officers until May this year to hand over evidence to prosecutors and it was only yesterday that the singer was finally told he would face no charges.

The handling of this case by police and prosecutors is an utter disgrace. Sir Cliff has done nothing wrong.

In fact, he even went out of his way to be helpful. And it is worth remembering that he was never even placed under arrest.

Yet still he was forced to endure almost two years living under the threat of prosecution, an experience sure to take a terrible emotional and financial toll.

And that is not to mention the irreparable damage that has been done to the reputation of a popular and successful entertainer.

Throughout the farcical investigation the police managed to whip up a media frenzy.

Sir Cliff believes that officers thought this would help them find other supposed victims.

If so, this is an appalling abuse of their power. This case is far from unique.

Sir Cliff is but one of the innocent men who has suffered during a witch-hunt against public figures accused of historic sex crimes. And nor is it only the famous who have been targeted.

In a bid to ensure more prosecutions for rape a number of men have been arrested, charged and even put on trial as a result of scandalously flimsy evidence.

In light of these repeated failings the Government must consider granting anonymity to those accused of sexual offences.

Express Comment.

Wise words, comrade.

See also After Cliff Richard, no more celebrities should to be traduced in a public fishing expedition. Sadly, they will, Tom Harris, Telegraph, Sir Cliff Richard has suffered a terrible injustice, Telegraph View.

The gay media's coverage of this?

Not one word.

Mail Online.

Cliff Richard: You Were The Quarry

Telegraph.

"After almost two years under police investigation I learnt today that they have finally closed their enquiries.

"I have always maintained my innocence, co-operated fully with the investigation, and cannot understand why it has taken so long to get to this point!

"Nevertheless, I am obviously thrilled that the vile accusations and the resulting investigation have finally been brought to a close.

"Ever since the highly-publicised and BBC-filmed raid on my home I have chosen not to speak publicly.

"Even though I was under pressure to 'speak out', other than to state my innocence, which was easy for me to do as I have never molested anyone in my life, I chose to remain silent.

"This was despite the widely-shared sense of injustice resulting from the high-profile fumbling of my case from day one. Other than in exceptional cases, people who are facing allegations should never be named publicly until charged.

 
"I was named before I was even interviewed and for me that was like being hung out like 'live bait'.

"It is obvious that such strategies simply increase the risk of attracting spurious claims which not only tie up police resources and waste public funds, but they forever tarnish the reputations of innocent people.

"There have been numerous occasions in recent years where this has occurred, and I feel very strongly that no innocent person should be treated in this way.

"I know the truth and in some people's eyes the CPS' announcement today doesn't go far enough because it doesn't expressly state that I am innocent; which of course I am. There lies the problem.

"My reputation will not be fully vindicated because the CPS' policy is to only say something general about there being 'insufficient' evidence.

"How can there be evidence for something that never took place! This is also a reason why people should never be named publicly until they have been charged unless there are exceptional circumstances.

"To my fans and members of the public, to the press and media, all of whom continued to show me such encouraging and wonderful support, I would like to say "thank you" it would have been so much harder without you."

Breaking News: Cliff Richard

Martin Goldman, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Yorkshire and Humberside, said: 'The CPS has carefully reviewed evidence relating to claims of non-recent sexual offences dating between 1958 and 1983 made by four men.

'We have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute. This decision has been made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and our guidance for prosecutors on cases of sexual offences.

'The CPS worked with police during the investigation. This has helped minimise the time needed to reach a decision once we received the complete file of evidence on May 10.

'The complainants have been informed and provided with a full explanation in writing.'

Mail Online.

Another fucking farce.

And a witch hunt exposed as a wild goose chase yet again.

I hope he sues those bastards at South Yorkshire Police.

Orgreave! Hillsborough! Sir Cliff!

NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!!!

Cliff Richard: Tormented

Wednesday's Mirror.

The Crown Prosecution decide whether there's any point in taking a case to court - that is all.

I bet you a case of Sir Cliff's own Vida Nova wine this will be laughed out and never get to court.

What a bloody country.

PS Yes, of course this happened.

It's just rubbish, Kelvin Mackenzie (!), today's Sun.

Cliff Richard: Move It

A police chief has ­dramatically weighed into the Cliff Richard ­investigation – telling detectives on the case to “put up or shut up”.

Antony Stansfield, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, also blasted the infamous raid on the star’s home which took place on his patch.

He revealed he had no prior warning South Yorkshire officers planned to turn up – a decision that left him appalled.

And Mr Stansfield says the length of time Sir Cliff has been left in the dark is unacceptable. The star has never been arrested or charged.;;

The police chief’s attack comes just two weeks after we revealed the Crown Prosecution Service had still not received a police file over allegations of historical sex abuse.

Mr Stansfield, 70, said: “You either put up or shut up, and this clearly has not happened in this case.  

“He’s never been charged. But two years later I would have thought something should have happened.”

A former Army major, he said he was shocked when South Yorkshire Police turned up for the raid on the star’s £3.5million Berkshire home in August 2014 with a BBC helicopter camera crew in tow while the singer was in Portugal.

“I thought that was the most extraordinary behaviour. I certainly didn’t know it was happening", said Mr Stansfield.

His remarks – made in an interview with new Sunday Mirror columnist Anne Diamond on her BBC Berkshire radio show – come as Sir Cliff, 75, remains “shocked and strained” by the inquiry and continues to dismiss sex abuse claims as “completely false”...

Sunday Mirror.

And meanwhile in their sister paper, the Sunday People.

This is breathtaking.

The People has been the main peddler of the ludicrous boy rape and murder fantasies of 'Nick', fed to them by the liars at Exaro News!

Fagburn: When Will My Agony End?

Don't think I can bring myself to do today's papers, think I'll just jack off to Czech porn read an improving book about Maoism's relevance today.

Fagburn: Countdown To Christmas

Nothing of much interest today.

Might be gone for a while. x

 Mirror: She looks made-up!

A Christmas message from Cliff! x

Remember, before donating to any 'needy cause' this xmas, always check their accounts.

PS Think it might be what is known as a 'slow news day'. No, hang on! Deffo loads of serious shit going down in the papers today.

PPS But it's not all bad news, according to The Sun, ITV have finally decided to put Vicious out of its misery. Yay!

PPPS I'm presuming this is a real public information festive fun warning about cock rings and handcuffs from the London Fire Brigade.

Telegraph: The bastard!

Cliff Richard: Allegation 'Farce'

SIR Cliff Richard has been quizzed again by cops over claims of a sex crime, his spokesman said last night.

The 75-year-old entertainer met South Yorkshire Police voluntarily this week.

He was interviewed under caution last year by officers investigating allegations of a sex crime involving a boy in the 1980s, but was not arrested or charged.

His spokesman said last night that Sir Cliff is denying the “completely false” allegations.

He said: “He co-operated fully with officers and answered the questions put to him.

“Other than restating that the allegations are completely false and that he will continue to co-operate fully with the police, it would not be appropriate for Sir Cliff to say anything further.”

The singer was seen yesterday at an Indian restaurant in Barnsley, South Yorks, in high spirits chatting to diners...

The Sun.

Looks like this story broke too late to make the front page, odd that plod didn't tip off the media in advance this time.

James Bond: 'The Name's Moron, Piers Moron...'

If James Bond’s gay, then the whole tone of the franchise has to go gay too.

His lovers would be gay men, Bond Girls would become Bond Boys.

‘What’s the problem with that?’ I hear the PC brigade howl (they always howl, FYI.)

Well, nothing. Except I wouldn’t want to watch that, and nor I suspect would the vast majority of Bond movie fans.

So the film would tank, and the franchise would die.

This is not homophobia – I think I proved my anti-homophobia chops on air at CNN and regularly on social media - it’s simple commercial reality.

Bond’s 50-year brand has been built on a clear, definable platform of him being a ruthless, womanising assassin.

And it’s been one of the most enduring, successful brands in the history of cinema.

 For an example of what can go wrong if you dupe an audience, take the case of George Michael.

He had a brilliant pop career, right up to the moment where he came out as gay.

Then his record sales fell off a cliff. *

It wasn’t his sexuality that was the problem. It was the fact that he’d misled millions of adoring female fans for years into thinking he was a straight guy who wanted to bed them.

George’s brand was the great romantic seducer of, and crooner to, women – and when his closet sprang gloriously open, many of those women ran for the hills of Justin Timberlake.

So no, James Bond can’t be gay. It just wouldn’t work.

(I doubt even the gay community really wants Bond to be gay – right now, he surely remains the ultimate unobtainable challenge?) ...

Daily Mail.

Piers Morgan weighs in on one of the most pressing issues of the day.

Ironically sounding like one of James Bond's biggest fans, Alan Partridge.

Once more... James Bond is a fictional character.

* Possibly Freudian choice of words here.

PS Here's an interview with Mark O'Connell author of the acclaimed Catching Bullets: Memoirs Of A [Gay] Bond Fan. 

@Fagburn Hey. Oh that old one. He isn't but is easily able to pretend otherwise if the mission needs it. He likes to help out at weekends!

— Mark O'Connell (@Mark0Connell) October 29, 2015

Picture Of The Day: Sir Cliff

The Sun.

And so say all of us!

Christopher Biggins: A Portrait Of The Artiste

Intent on a healthy old age, he still needs to lose weight, but recently quit booze: “I was drinking a couple of bottles of wine a week, but a doctor asked if I wanted to die in my own bed or in a hospital bed dribbling, so I gave up just like that and don’t miss it at all. I do worry about a painful death, but I keep telling Cameron Mackintosh I’ll move into his house and we’ll be looked after by the most gorgeous male nurses.”

Born in Oldham and brought up in Salisbury, he has always moved in circles he can’t really afford, ever since his car salesman father and barmaid mother scrimped to send him to private school and elocution lessons to erase the Wiltshire accent. He attended Bristol Old Vic, then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing alongside Peggy Ashcroft, Donald Sinden and the young Judi Dench: “I was classified as the joker of our year, but when I got the RSC everybody was shocked, jealous.”

Subsequent gigs included the film of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Porridge with Ronnie Barker, Nero in the BBC’s legendary I, Claudius and the “sex-mad vicar” in the original television series of Poldark.

After moving into children’s television in the 1980s (”You had to be terribly careful as a gay man not to be seen as a paedophile”), his image morphed into that of bon viveur for hire; walker to everyone from Liza Minnelli to Lauren Bacall. It’s clear why they all indulge him — he oozes empathy and anecdotes and is much sharper than his buffoonish image implies...

In recent years his bread and butter has been panto and reality shows (he won I’m a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! in 2007 — “the best career decision I ever made”)...

As Lukewarm, the comedy gay in Porridge.

A “ridiculous” youthful marriage apart (he and his former wife are still friends, natch), Biggins has long been openly gay, a situation that, according to his peer Rupert Everett, makes it impossible to win leading man roles. “Did Rupert say that? Sounds like sour grapes, he’s far too old to get romantic leads anyway. It amazes me there are still so many sportsmen, actors, singers, politicians who won’t come out and admit what they are.

“People are scared they’ll upset their fans, but the fans don’t care. I was at Cliff Richard’s concert at the Royal Albert Hall the other night — he gives so much pleasure. It may be to women of a certain age but that doesn’t matter. He’s a megastar.”

Biggins, a campaigner [sic] for Stonewall — the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender charity — “doesn’t approve” of gay marriage: “It’s fine for others, but calling Neil my husband is a step too far.” Gaybies? His baby-pink face crumples in distaste. “I couldn’t afford children: I’d need an enormous house with wings and nannies who’d bring them to me every evening for half an hour. I’d rather have a 54in TV.” He laughs joyfully, then leaps up to snaffle a scone from the complimentary buffet.

The Sunday Times.

Not sure either Sir Cameron or Sir Cliff have actually come out, Christopher...