Life and Trials of Cliff Richard

'Cliff had exploded onto the scene, had become Britain's very own Elvis, and was about to embark on a career that, at the time of writing, has extended into its eighth decade. Nobody at that moment - least of all Cliff - could have foreseen the triumphs that lay ahead, and amongst them, the catalyst for the trial to which that stardom ultimately led.'

Sir Cliff Richard is Britain's most successful home-grown pop star with a career that's unlikely ever to be surpassed. Since 1958 he's sold over 250,000,000 records, had fourteen Number 1 and sixty-seven Top 10 singles and, along with Elvis Presley, is the only act to make the UK Top 10 in six consecutive decades. Even now, in his ninth decade, he's still recording and touring to packed venues.

With these sorts of figures, it's no wonder Sir Cliff Richard - the pop star - is an entertainment phenomenon. But Sir Cliff Richard - the person - is somewhat of an enigma. In this new book, authors Matt Richards & Mark Langthorne dig deep to find out who Sir Cliff Richard really is.


In profiling his life and career, his success, his relationships and his beliefs, they uncover a man of contradictions; the rock & roller who rejected sex and drugs, the poster boy for Christianity, the very public performer who gives little away about his private life, the star who's a national treasure to many yet a figure of ridicule to others.

From the stories behind the hit records to the battle to break America, from childhood memories in India to recent abuse allegations and career-threatening headlines, nothing is off-limits in this definitive portrayal, painting a picture of an artist and a man who has become increasingly misunderstood and maligned when he should simply be celebrated for the performer and the person he is.

Mark Langthorne (Author)
MARK LANGTHORNE has spent over twenty years working in the music, film and fashion industries with stars such as Marc Almond, Annie Lennox and Roland Mouret. He is also an acclaimed author and screenwriter. His books include an exploration into the death of Michael Jackson and the biography of Freddie Mercury and his screenplays range from a three-part Edwardian thriller to a major movie about the Falklands War.

Matt Richards (Author)
MATT RICHARDS is a film-maker, screenwriter and author. His films have included
documentaries about D-Day, the Dambusters, Colditz and the Blitz as well as a feature film about the Spanish Civil War. In 2012 he was awarded The Spirit of Tiger Award in the USA for 'Outstanding Documentary Coverage of WWII'. His books include an exploration into the death of Michael Jackson and the biography of Freddie Mercury.