Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Tina Campbell

Cliff Richard praises ‘phenomenal’ Platinum Jubilee concert despite not being invited to perform

Sir Cliff Richard has revealed why he didn’t perform at the Platinum Party at the Palace - he wasn’t invited.

The We Don’t Talk Anymore singer, 81, previously performed at both the 2002 Golden Jubilee and 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations but was noticeably absent from the line-up on Saturday which included Diana Ross, Queen, Elton John, Mable and Craig David.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I was disappointed I couldn’t be on stage, but this year’s production of the show was absolutely phenomenal.

“I was getting green with envy thinking I would just like to have one photograph taken against the palace. But it wasn’t my turn and the young guys took over, and quite rightly so.”

Sir Cliff Richard landed a coveted spot on a bus during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant (Getty Images)

Appearing on Sky News on Sunday, he added: “The show that I saw last night was probably the best produced show ever done for the Queen.”

While he missed out on performing at the concert, he did land a coveted spot on one of the buses during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant which is reported to have cost £15m to put on.

Richard is one of 100 national treasures who was invited to ride in open-top buses for a two-mile route around London, with each bus marking a different decade of the Queen’s 70-year reign.

Other celebrities who made the cut included Holly Willoughby, Rylan Clark, Shirley Bassey, Jeremy Irons, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Gary Lineker, Bill Bailey, Sir Mo Farah and Basil Brush.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.