British police on Saturday interviewed veteran singer Sir Cliff Richard, one of the country’s most successful entertainers, in connection with an alleged historic sex crime, his spokesman said.
Richard, a household name in Britain since the 1950s through hits such as Living Doll and Devil Woman, met officers voluntarily and was interviewed under caution, but not arrested or charged.
The interview came after his luxury apartment in Berkshire, England, was searched by police last week over “an allegation of a sexual nature” involving a boy under 16 that dates to the 1980s.
British media have reported that the case relates to an alleged incident at a rally by US preacher Billy Graham in Sheffield, England, in 1985. The 73-year-old singer strongly denies any wrongdoing.
After Richard was interviewed, his spokesman said: “He cooperated fully with officers and answered the questions put to him. Other than restating that this allegation is completely false and that he will continue to cooperate fully with the police, it would not be appropriate for Sir Cliff to say anything further at this time.”
The probe is not connected to Operation Yewtree, the investigation launched by Scotland Yard into abuse by the late BBC television and radio presenter Jimmy Savile and other aging celebrities.
Richard was born Harry Webb in Lucknow, India, in 1940. He shot to fame in the 1950s with the Shadows and was initially seen as a British version of Elvis Presley.
He has sold more than 250 million records over his career with No. 1 singles in five decades and is nicknamed the “Peter Pan of Pop” for his youthful looks. Known for his clean-living, Christian lifestyle, Richard was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1995.
His fans rallied around him after the police search, buying copies of his single I Still Believe in You in a bid to get it into last week’s Top 40 list of best-sellers.
Richard was at another of his homes in Portugal when the search took place and issued a statement saying he had not been given notice it would take place and denying the claims.
The search drew controversy over how the BBC, which had a crew on scene to film it, knew about it in advance.
BBC Director-General Tony Hall and South Yorkshire Police chief constable David Crompton, who led the search, have been summoned to give evidence to the British House of Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee.
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