How rude was Cliff Richard to Alison Hammond?! 😲

[Almost40andprobablynotfabulous]

Hi,

Had TM on in the background earlier and I was absolutely shocked at how casually rude Cliff Richard was to Alison Hammond. Not directly to her, but MASSIVELY inconsiderate and offensive nevertheless.

He was talking about the reason he missed his chance to meet Elvis and he explained that Elvis was overweight at the time and he knew he'd put up a picture on his wall of him and Elvis, but didn't want to if he "overweight and didn't look good" 🤨🙄 He went on to say something else not looking good if you were carrying extra weight and you could see how upset Alison was. She came back with something and tried to be humorous about it, but I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want to call him out on it there and then. And obviously it won't have just been Alison who would have been offended by his clumsy, tone deaf comments.

Did anyone see it? So bad 🫤

Oh wise up! I don't even particularly like his music - it's tolerable. I've never been a fan at all.

What I do HATE though is people being accused of all sorts based on malicious gossip and rumours, with no basis in fact!!!!

And if you are prepared to peddle that, and make assumptions based on it, that to me speak volumes about your character.

He could be guilty of allsorts, or he could be guilty of nothing. Thank god, the law says innocent until proven guilty, and I hold firm to that.

He wasn't a paedophile. His alleged victims/accusers were over the age of consent. I'm not saying that isn't just as wrong and just as traumatic, but let's get our facts straight. Nothing was ever proven, he could have been guilty or it may have been a case of mistaken identity as it was with that guy who grew up in a Welsh children's home and accused a member of the HOL. We don't know.

Innocent until proven guilty say I . I say this as a survivor of CSA, and I know how low the actual rate of conviction is.

Calling him a 'wrongun' is nothing to do with him being a closet homosexual.

This has actually pissed me off dramatically.

Since when did advocating truth, fairness and justice, become 'rabid'???

I won't say what I think, because you're not worth a deletion or ban, but suffice to say, I am thinking it!!!

Do you believe him?

False accusers of historical abuse so exist . As a survivor it pains me to admit that these people walk among us. Doesn't anybody remember "Nick" Carl Beech and his allegations about his childhood but it turns out that he was in possession of child abuse images himself. Classic deflect and play the victim scenario there!

An old friend of mine did just this. She had evidence, she went to the police.
She was laughed out of the place (had evidence in the early 70s of several famous predators including entertainers and politicians), and had her life pretty much destroyed for doing the right thing.

I’ve talked before about her experiences, which are shocking and have since been confirmed.

@Treesinmygarden

There’s a serious point in what you’re saying, given Eg Huw Edwards.

There certainly is something to be said about not spreading malicious rumours. I don’t know how you can ever hope to stop it in the era of the internet, but pre-internet gossips were regularly dismissed as just gossips. Not to be taken seriously.

I see most of this thread as the same.

What you are trying to do, though, is prevent people from expressing their opinions that there’s something off about CR.

Malicious gossip = people saying “CR is a [insert heinous thing]”.

Opinion = there’s something off about CR, I think

Do you see the difference?

YOU are the one seeking to censor, and the hypocrisy is that you’re criticising others in the name of truth, justice and fairness! Unless you are actually CR, or privy to each and every one of his secrets, you are no better placed than any of us to know the truth; and you are no more entitled - morally or practically - to express your opinion. You absolutely CANNOT shut people down (other than posts against MN’s rules).

A separate point is trial by media. My opinion is sleep with dogs, get fleas / live by the sword die by the sword. There’s little uglier in light entertainment than public sanctimony or hypocrisy (other than the obvious).

@Raincloudsonasunnyday I'm all for free speech and it's ok to find something off about CR. That's fair enough. I just think we need to be careful of not saying anything as fact when we don't know for sure. That's all. Although I doubt CR reads Mumsnet.

I could be wrong but wasn't the age of consent higher for same sex liasions anyway back in the 70s? So more like a Philip Schofield situation. Like I said still wrong but "child catcher?" Nah.

An awful lot of women will disagree with you

Going back to the thread, I don't particularly like or dislike CR as a person though I do love The Shadows (great music that was) but that was not a nice thing for him to say. Also refusing to meet another person because they " don't look good" is not a good look. Extremely shallow.

I'm obese and remember being very upset when my closest friend (who to be fair was also ED like me but more in the anorexic sense) started making cutting little comments about my size and implying she thought I was unattractive from it . Yeah she is entitled to her opinion but it hurt. I think she thought it was helping me to feel shame and therefore stop bingeing but BED doesn't work like that. I also had some physical issues (PCOS, and ME/CFS which rendered me unable to be very active) but she was sceptical about them playing a part in my weight. She was never a nasty person so it shocked me .

I had a parent who was way worse basically saying I was ugly and disgusting and calling me names so I expected it of them but not my friend. I do wish people would think before morning their mouths. 😔

What do you remember then?

@derxa What exactly was he accused of? Do you think he’s lying?

Defo a wrong un, KITTY.

I certainly don't think he was lying. He was put through hell due to false accusations,

I am not seeking to censor anything. It just happens to disgust me that people can post all sorts of shit that is mere rumour or speculation. Yes, the internet has enabled that and it's one of its downsides.

I don't see any difference. Posters are making assertions with no basis in fact. Period.

I have no access to any personal information about CR. I will wager, neither do the vast majority, if not all, of the posters on this thread.

I will always speak up if I think someone is being unfairly treated. I don't give a flying fcuk whether that's popular or not. I am the same IRL. I've never sought popularity, and I am hugely protective of my integrity.

I will never, ever, condone gossips.

I’ve always wondered why he allied himself with openly homophobic types such as Mary Whitehouse back in the day - we are talking 1970 here. Not much on the internet about it but you can try searching The Festival of Light.

Well said. I think half the problem is that CR is a Christian. On here people say that he believes in 'sky fairies'.

@derxa sadly I think you have a point. There is a lot of anti religious prejudice around and also because recently there have been cases of abuse being exposed in churches and ministries (Mike Pilavachi, the Duggar family etc) and unfortunately Christians get tarred with the same brush. Just like young male Muslims being branded as DAESH/ISIS sympathisers or potential terrorists, or dare I say it, (and I'm going to get a flaming here because of the prevalence of antisemitism deniers on MN) Jews in Britain being accused of representing the Israeli government and all being anti Palestinian. It is sad. Prejudice of any kind is just that, prejudice. A prejudged usually ill judged opinion.

@derxa What are sky fairies?

Why doesn’t he just come out though? It’s not a problem in this day and age

Brilliant post

Maybe he is worried his God doesn't approve? It's harder for people of his background, I'm guessing.

Maybe he is worried the 80 year olds who were his fans back in the day, the clean living little old ladies who buy recordings of his occasional Christmas hits won't pay for his music anymore? Or he won't get nice interviews in Yours or Woman's Weekly?

Why should he come out? Why is it anyone else's business. I think all the speculations about his sexuality is weird.

@Iwasafool you're quite right. He has a right to keep it quiet, it's his life. I think today's generation of celebs has possibly gone too far the other way, everything is talked about, we are made to feel we know so much about their sex lives. Whatever happened to preserving a bit of mystery ?