Cliff Richard: 'One Direction are pretty impressive'

Cultural Life: The singer gives his favourite music, film, tv and theatre picks

Sir Cliff Richard says he is a fan of Downton Abbey and Adele (Getty Images)

Music

I have quite eclectic taste, from rock to rhythm and blues and even some jazz singers. I love Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and One Direction are pretty impressive.

However, it’s hard to beat the old classics. Elvis was my idol and I still love his early recordings. I play a lot of CDs and my machine takes five at a time, so I tend to mix up my music. Elvis, Sinatra, Olivia, Beatles, oh yeah... and me too (sometimes).

Films

I am very fortunate to be on the voting panel for the Baftas so I get sent all kinds of DVDs to watch.

I recently saw 12 Years a Slave – it was brilliantly filmed but very disturbing. It’s hard to believe that we could have been so inhumane to black people.

Television

My lifestyle leaves little time for watching regular TV. What I tend to do is get the DVD box sets and watch three or four episodes in one night. I got through Downton Abbey that way!

Theatre

I saw Kinky Boots on Broadway – I thoroughly enjoyed the show and I even met Gloria Estefan backstage afterwards! I also saw Once and Newsies – one of the most energetically choreographed shows I have ever seen.

Cliff Richard’s new album, ‘The Fabulous Rock’n’Roll Songbook’, and new DVD, ‘Still Reelin’ and A-Rockin’ Live in Sydney’, are out now