WHERE WERE YOU WHEN Sir Cliff Richard sang at Wimbledon - YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Celebrity WHERE WERE YOU WHEN Sir Cliff Richard sang at Wimbledon By You Magazine - July 7, 2019 The veteran singer raised the roof, says his friend, former British tennis ace Annabel Croft. Tennis stars Pam Shriver, Liz Smylie, Martina Navratilova and Gigi Fernandez sub in as Cliff’s backing singers. Photo by Colorsport/REX/Shutterst​ock. I remember the day was awful: just continuous rain. Wimbledon crowds have always been quite animated when it comes to the weather, particularly in the days before the retractable roof was built. They booed when the covers went on and cheered when they came off. But on that day, at the men’s quarter-finals, it was getting very frustrating and nothing was happening. I’ve sat with Sir Cliff Richard in the stands a few times at Wimbledon because we’re both members of the club, which gets you a seat at Centre Court. I always enjoy his company because he knows his tennis very well and I used to play in the fundraising tennis matches he’d put on. He’s a good tennis player – he can really hit the ball! Knowing him, I can imagine him thinking, ‘What can I do to help this situation? How can I make this positive for the poor people who are so bored?’ He was doing an interview with Radio Wimbledon in the royal box when he was asked to sing by the club secretary (whose wife had suggested the idea). He started with ‘Summer Holiday’, saying to the crowd, ‘I never thought I’d actually play on Centre Court’. Cliff performed six songs for a total of 20 minutes to an audience that included Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Joanna Lumley. His set included a version of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, backed by tennis stars such as Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver. ‘How could anyone have ever dreamed up a backing group like this?’ he said to a huge round of applause. And as he launched into ‘Congratulations’, with the crowd clapping to every beat, the covers were rolled back and play was restored. It was an extraordinary moment in the history of Wimbledon – he was a real hit and a bit of a saviour that day. This year I’ll be commentating again for the BBC and I’m hoping to see Cliff there, too. Also that month… Photo by: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo Alan Shearer became the world’s most expensive footballer when Newcastle United bought him from Blackburn Rovers for £15 million. Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal from an adult cell, was born in Scotland. The Spice Girls released their debut single, ‘Wannabe’. RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR 50 of the best celebrity Halloween costumes of all time Shirley Ballas ‘ Strictly gave me back my hope’ Davina McCall discusses how men can help women going through the menopause Popular in Celebrity TV chef Gino D Acampo on Sardinia Sophia Loren and scary salads May 25, 2017 The Evergreen Goddess Exercise guru Diana Moran on looking fit and July 10, 2017 More more Julianne Moore November 13, 2017 Author Jill Mansell on designer notebooks commissioning art and the family January 16, 2018 EMOTIONAL TIES Kelly Hoppen on vodka vintage finds and being a April 4, 2018 ‘ I have no regrets’ Millie Mackintosh on divorce debt and reuniting May 20, 2018 EMOTIONAL TIES TV presenter and tennis player Annabel Croft shares her July 1, 2018 Stella Parton ‘ Dolly and I have always been close’ August 12, 2018 Anna Friel on getting jeered in the street shared parenting with September 23, 2018 Queen of primetime Charlotte Riley on juggling rising stardom with pregnancy October 21, 2018 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. All Rights Reserved