Cliff Richard ‘violated and betrayed’ by police raid footage, court hears

Cliff Richard was left feeling “violated and betrayed” after the BBC aired footage of police raiding his home, his close friend has told a court.

In a written witness statement, British TV presenter Gloria Hunniford reportedly described how the 77-year-old was “utterly distraught” and left feeling “forever tainted” by the live coverage in August 2014. It showed police storming through his Berkshire mansion, as they investigated abuse allegations against him at the time.

The star, who has always denied the claims, was never charged and the case was dropped.

Richard has now taken his privacy case back to court, as he sues the major media corporation over their coverage. The BBC maintains that airing the footage was in the “public interest”.

According to multiple reports, Hunniford told the court she had watched the police raid on TV at the time, and was shocked by what she saw.

Read more: Sir Cliff Richard set to sue for having his life turned ‘upside down’

“I could not believe what I was seeing,” she said, according to the Guardian. “He [Richard] is a gentle and kind soul and I was extremely worried about how he would be reacting. 

“He seemed utterly distraught that the search and allegations against him had been broadcast so widely around the world, and about what everyone must be thinking about him.” 

According to the BBC, she added: “That the police were searching my friend’s apartment was of course a shock in itself, but to witness the search being carried out on television apparently in real time, with a helicopter filming overhead, together with details of the appalling criminal allegations that the police were said to be investigating, seemed beyond belief.”

Read more: Cliff Richard reveals how fighting sex claims took heavy health toll

While she insists he’s doing better now, and appears more himself, Hunniford added: “He cannot stop talking about how violated and betrayed he feels about the BBC decision to broadcast the police search of his apartment and create the media storm that ensued.”

She claims he was left “broken and extremely confused” by the coverage at the time, and lost huge amounts of weight through stress – leaving him “skin and bones”.

The court later heard that the BBC reporter on the day texted a friend, boasting about his “bonkers but brilliant” day.

Richard is suing the BBC for invasion of privacy, and was reportedly originally seeking £279,261 (AU$513,327) for legal fees, £108,500 (AU $199,456) for his public relations expenses, as well as an additional payout for damages. The BBC denies any wrongdoing.

Do you think the BBC should have aired the footage of the police raid at the time?