He then attended Cheshunt Secondary Modern School from 1952 to 1957. (The school was later renamed Riversmead School before being rebuilt and renamed Bishopslea School.) As a member of the top stream, he stayed on beyond the minimum leaving age to take GCE Ordinary Level examinations and gained a pass in English literature. He then started work as a filing clerk for Atlas Lamps. [21] A development of retirement flats, Cliff Richard Court, has been named after him in Cheshunt. [22] In August 2018 Richard announced the release of the album Rise Up, which includes new material. The first single of the album, "Rise Up", was released in vinyl format and reached No. 1 on the UK Vinyl Singles Chart in October 2018. [83] He performed a duet with Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler on "Taking Control" that appeared on her 2019 studio album, Between the Earth and the Stars. In 2020 Richard released the album Music... The Air That I Breathe. On 4 July 2022, Richard sang his 1963 hit "Summer Holiday" at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, as part of the Centenary Celebration. [84] Criticism of the music industry and commercial support [ edit ]

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Another compilation album, Love... The Album was released on 12 November 2007. Like Two's Company before it, this album includes both previously released material and newly recorded songs, namely "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "When You Say Nothing at All", "All Out of Love", "If You're Not the One" and "When I Need You" (the last was released as a single, reaching No. 38; the album peaked at No. 13). [67] 2008–present: 50th anniversary and Shadows reunion [ edit ] L–R: Bruce Welch, Richard, Brian Bennett and Hank Marvin, 2009 Sir Cliff Richard sues the BBC and police after raid of his house was broadcast live on TV". The Daily Telegraph. London. 6 October 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. In 2011, digital station Absolute Radio '60s, dedicated to playing popular music from the 1960s, announced they would not be playing any of Richard's records because they said they did not fit "the cool sound... we're trying to create". DJ Pete Mitchell said: "Timeless acts of the decade that remain relevant today are the Beatles, the Stones, the Doors and the Who, not Sir Cliff." Richard responded to this by saying: "They're lying to themselves, and more importantly they're lying to the public." [89]

When asked in 1992 if he had ever considered the possibility that he might be gay, he responded: "No." [120] Richard said: "Even if I got married tomorrow there would be a group of people who would believe what they wanted to believe. All that counts is what your family and friends know and they all trust and respect me. What the people outside think, I have no control over." [120] Later in 1996, Richard said: "I'm aware of the rumours, but I am not gay." [90] In 1997, he said: "People who are single shouldn't have to be second-class citizens – we needn't be embarrassed or feel guilty about it, we all have a role to play." [95] Hildred, Stafford; Ewbank, Tim (13 April 2010). Cliff: An Intimate Portrait of a Living Legend. Random House. ISBN 9780753536100 . Retrieved 27 November 2018– via Google Books. Laville, Sandra (16 June 2016). "Cliff Richard will not face charges over sexual abuse claims". The Guardian. London . Retrieved 16 June 2016. On 14 June 2004, Richard joined the Shadows on-stage at the London Palladium. The Shadows had decided to re-form for another tour of the UK. It was not to be their last tour together though, as they would re-form once again for a final tour five years later in 2009.

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Richard has also supported numerous UK charities over many years through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust, both through donations and by making personal visits to schools, churches, hospitals, and homes for special needs children. Richard's passion for tennis, which was encouraged by his former girlfriend, Sue Barker, also led him in 1991 to establish the Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation. The charity has encouraged thousands of primary schools in the UK to introduce the sport, with over 200,000 children taking part in the tennis sessions which tour the country. The foundation has since become part of the charitable wing of the Lawn Tennis Association. [90] [142] [143] Scottish independence referendum [ edit ] One of the targets for the Festival of Light's campaign was the growth of sexually explicit films. [137] Richard was one of approximately 30,000 people who gathered at London's Trafalgar Square for a demonstration. One focus of their protest was against the Swedish sex education film Language of Love, which was showing at a nearby cinema. [138] Philanthropy [ edit ] Richard promoting his wine in Denmark, 2015 Sewards, Lisa. "I still think of Caron hundreds of times a day". The Lady. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013 . Retrieved 10 November 2013. Richard's 51st year in the music business saw the release of the eight-CD box set And They Said It Wouldn't Last (My 50 Years in Music). [68] In September, a single celebrating his 50 years in pop music, titled "Thank You for a Lifetime" was released. On 14 September 2008 it reached No. 3 on the UK music charts.

When later asked why he has never married, Richard said: "I've had a few false alarms. I've been in love, but marriage is a big commitment and being an artist consumes a great deal of time." [113] He said that in the early 1970s he was in love with the singer and actress Olivia Newton-John. Richard said: "At the time when I and many of us were in love with Olivia she was engaged to someone else. I'm afraid I lost the chance." [113]

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Sir Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard to support Morrissey at major US shows". NME. 13 February 2014 . Retrieved 15 February 2014. Richard, Cliff; Latham, Bill (1 September 1983). You, Me and Jesus. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-0340346280. Roberts, David (17 June 2006). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (19thed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7. After the Shadows split in 1968, Richard continued to record. During the 1970s, Richard took part in several television shows and fronted his own show It's Cliff Richard from 1970 to 1976. It starred Olivia Newton-John, Hank Marvin and Una Stubbs, and included A Song for Europe. He began 1970 by appearing live on the BBC's review of the sixties music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, which was broadcast across Britain and Europe on 31 December 1969. He performed "Bachelor Boy" with the Shadows and "Congratulations" solo. In 1972, he made a short BBC television comedy film called The Case with appearances from comedians and his first ever duets with a woman—Newton-John. He went on to release a double live album, Cliff Live in Japan 1972, which featured Newton-John.Hamilton, Fiona (20 August 2014). "Police deal with BBC may mean Sir Cliff search was illegal". The Sunday Times. London . Retrieved 1 October 2014. (subscription required) Richard has sold more than 250 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. [12] He has never achieved the same popularity in the United States despite eight US Top 40 singles, including the million-selling " Devil Woman" and " We Don't Talk Anymore". In Canada, he had a successful period in the early 1960s, the late 1970s and early 1980s, with some releases certified gold and platinum. [13] He has remained a popular music, film, and television personality at home in the UK as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Northern Europe and Asia, and retains a following in other countries. When not touring, he divides his time between Barbados and Portugal. [14] In 2019, he relocated to New York. [15] Biography [ edit ] 1940–1958: Childhood and adolescence [ edit ] Cliff Richard, Centre Court, Wimbledon". Gigs in strange places. Virginmedia . Retrieved 2 July 2011. a b "Sir Cliff Richard: Evergreen entertainer". BBC News. 12 March 2003 . Retrieved 13 September 2012. In August 2014, Richard was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue. [144] Property search, investigation and BBC litigation [ edit ]