Sir Cliff Richard pulls out of concert due to ill health

Sir Cliff Richard has cancelled an upcoming concert due to ill health. The 78-year-old veteran singer was due to perform on Thursday (November 28) for a special Radio 2 In Concert but cancelled after being diagnosed with laryngitis.

In a formal statement, Sir Cliff said he was ‘devastated’ to cancel and wished the radio station’s listeners a Merry Christmas.

“I’m devastated that I won’t be able to perform for BBC Radio 2 In Concert on Thursday night, as I’m under doctor’s orders to rest as I have laryngitis.

“I hope to reschedule the concert at a later date, and would like to wish all the Radio 2 listeners a very Merry Christmas,” he said.

The concert was to commemorate 60 years since the release of his debut single, ‘Move It.’ Sir Cliff was going to perform this song as well as a medley of his hits from over the last six decades.

To be performed at the BBC Radio Theatre, it would have been the fifth and final concert of the In Concert Radio 2 series.

Jeff Smith, head of music at Radio 2 and Music 6 said he was sorry he wouldn’t be performing, but hoped to welcome him back soon.

“We’re so sorry to hear that Sir Cliff is unable to perform for BBC Radio 2 In Concert, and look forward to welcoming him back to Radio 2 very soon,” Smith said.

Sir Cliff is returning to music with a posthumous duet with his late close friend Cilla Black on her album, ‘Cilla with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’ and has talked about his desire to record with Elaine Paige.

He has also talked about the distress caused over his legal battle with BBC over coverage of his home. A case which he won, he stunned the Loose Women panel yesterday when he said that he would prefer ten guilty people to walk free instead of one innocent person being jailed.

“When I was in the court with the BBC I saw a quote I loved, a judge, Blackstone, said, ‘I would rather 10 guilty people escape than one innocent person suffer’,’ he said.

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