Cliff Richard mocks artists who ‘retire’ then make ‘four or five comebacks’

Cliff Richard has opened up about why he has no intention of announcing his retirement any time soon.

The 82-year-old, who released his new Christmas album Christmas with Cliff last week, also poked fun at artists who announce they’re retiring only to make a comeback soon after.

“We’ve all known artists who retire and then they make four or five comebacks,” Richard told This Morning hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on Tuesday 29 November.

“Everytime they make a comeback, I think ‘they’ve run out of money,’ he joked. “And I don’t want anyone to think that about me!”

The singer recently announced an eight-date tour for winter 2023, which includes six nights at the Eventim Apollo in London.

There will also be a show in Blackpool and another in Glasgow. Tickets are available here.

“I think the days of me going on tour for six months are way behind me,” he said. “You never know when you wake up and [something’s] not going to work.”

Richard is currently in a chart battle with Stormzy for the No 1 spot in the UK. Stormzy is up for the top spot with his third album, This Is What I Mean. You can read The Independent’s five-star review here.

“Here I am in the charts with the most popular artist in the decade and I’m still able to compete,” Richard said. “I was going to say may the best man win but I’m not saying it just in case he does win!”

Asked why he had waited so long to make another Christmas album, Richard said: “It felt right again. Christmas does come every year and you could become a bore.”

“In the end the public make up their mind, who and what they wanna buy.”