Sir Cliff Richard: One Direction still try to look as cool as me

The crooner told BBC Breakfast he is still the 'cool' pop star to beat, but many thought he was wearing a wig on the show

Sir Cliff Richard at the 2012 US Open. The crooner claimed One Direction still compete with him to 'look cool' (Getty Images)

Sir Cliff Richard claimed that he is still the “cool” pop star One Direction has to beat. But his appearance on BBC Breakfast prompted hundreds of viewers to speculate that the 73 year-old singer was wearing a wig.

Sir Cliff appeared on the programme to promote his new album The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook - his 100th record release.

He caused controversy after claiming that Diana, Princess of Wales would have been a fan of his new album “had she been alive”.

Asked if he was cool, Sir Cliff said: “I am cool because I am still successful, after all this year One Direction still have to compete with me.”

The singer acknowledged that One Direction’s calendar had now overtaken sales of his own, saying: “Someone has to take over, it has become a pressure now for me after all these years constantly being number one with the calendar, and I may well be number one next year I don't know.”

But his hairline provoked a vigorous Twitter debate with one user writing: “Cliff Richard is definitely sporting a wig. Why? #bbcbreakfast.”

Another wrote: “Cliff ‘I've got a new wig’ Richard #obvious.”