“I Thought I Was Going to Die” — Cliff Richard Opens Up About Health Collapse During False Sex Allegations Ordeal
Sir Cliff Richard, one of Britain’s most enduring music icons, has long been celebrated for his vitality and six-decade career. But behind his trademark composure lies a period of intense personal suffering — a time when stress, fear, and public scrutiny left him physically and emotionally drained. Between 2014 and 2016, the star was the subject of a police investigation into false child sex allegations, a case that ultimately resulted in no charges. Yet, the toll on his health was profound.
Speaking candidly, Sir Cliff recalled how quickly his physical condition deteriorated. “Within six months of the allegation I had shingles all over my head and face,” he revealed. “It looked so horrible I thought, ‘I can’t believe it is happening.’”
Shingles, a viral infection triggered by the reactivation of the dormant chickenpox virus, is often linked to weakened immunity. Stress — especially severe, prolonged stress — is one of its most common triggers. According to medical experts, the virus can lie quietly in the nervous system for decades before resurfacing, often during periods of emotional strain, advancing age, or illness.
For Sir Cliff, the strain was relentless. The ordeal began in 2014 when police raided his £2 million Berkshire home after a single allegation was made against him — an event broadcast live by the BBC. Over the next two years, uncertainty gnawed at him. The fear of court, prison, and public disgrace became a constant presence.
“I thought I was dying at times,” he admitted. “I even wondered if I was having a heart attack or a stroke.” In his private diary, he recorded the devastation he felt: “I wake up in the mornings now and I feel I am disappearing. I look in the mirror and this other old geezer looks back at me.”
The physical effects were alarming. Within just 24 hours of the investigation beginning, he found himself unable to lift one arm. On another occasion, his body gave way entirely, sending him crashing onto stepping stones and biting through his lower lip. “I think it was to do with the stress,” he said. “I don’t think I would fall over normally. After this I got shingles, too. I remember my doctor saying: ‘Stress is a major factor.’”
The connection between stress and shingles is well-documented. The Mayo Clinic explains that after chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve tissue near the spine and brain, waiting for an opportunity — such as a weakened immune system — to reemerge. Older adults are particularly vulnerable, and certain medications, like prolonged steroid use, can also raise the risk.
Sleep, or the lack of it, compounded the problem. In his diary, Sir Cliff described waking in the middle of the night, his mind racing with anxious thoughts. Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation further weakens the immune system, creating ideal conditions for shingles to develop.
The investigation finally ended in 2016 with no charges brought, but the damage had already been done. Sir Cliff later won substantial damages against the BBC for its role in broadcasting the police raid, but no legal settlement could fully undo the emotional and physical scars left by the experience.
Reflecting now, the singer acknowledges how close he came to breaking under the pressure. “It was one of the darkest times of my life,” he has said. “You discover who your real friends are when you’re in the middle of a storm like that.”
While he has since regained his health and returned to performing, Sir Cliff remains a vocal advocate for stronger protections of privacy and the presumption of innocence. His story stands as both a cautionary tale about the human cost of unfounded allegations and a testament to resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity.