Cliff Richard may have refused to have his picture taken with his idol Elvis Presley because he thought he was too heavy, but it didn’t stop him from having a painting commissioned of the two of them.
An image of Cliff, 83, in his home with a photo of himself and Elvis on the wall has surfaced on X, formerly known as Twitter – after he admitted he had never met the icon.
The post, published by BBC Radio 4 broadcaster Jon Holmes, showed the actor sitting in front of the huge portrait that took up most of his wall.
Jon captioned the post: “You see, #cliffrichard *actually* has a painting of him with (thin) #Elvis in his house. A painting he commissioned even though they had never met. I know this because we recorded a show there a few years ago. (I subtly disguised the producer to save her sanity.)”
Cliff faced backlash on This Morning on Monday when he admitted he turned down a photo with the King Of Pop.
Caught: Cliff Richard, 83, may have turned down a photo with his idol Elvis Presley, but it didn’t stop him from commissioning a painting of the two
Awkward: An image has surfaced on was too heavy
There it is: the post, published by BBC Radio 4 broadcaster Jon Holmes, showed the actor sitting in front of the huge portrait that took up most of his wall
Cliff, who eats only one meal a day, began, “I had the opportunity to meet him through a journalist who knew I was deeply influenced by him.
He said: ‘I turned it down because I knew he had gained a lot of weight and I thought, ‘If I have a picture with him and put it on my fridge, of course he has to look good.’ And I put it off, and then of course he died.”
Host Alison Hammond responded: “You should never have postponed it just because they’re a bit heavier.”
Cliff then explained to viewers, “You have to take the chance to meet your idols even if they have arrived.”
“Is that why you don’t want me at your house?” Alison hit back before changing the subject.
Elsewhere in the interview, Cliff revealed that he only eats one meal a day, explaining: ‘It’s true, I only eat one meal a day. I stand by that.
‘I realize that I’m just not hungry. I have yogurt with some muesli for breakfast and then come for lunch. I’m just not hungry.’
Elvis died in August 1977 at the age of 42, dependent on prescription drugs.
Comments: Cliff was put in his place by Alison Hammond, 48, on Monday after he shamed Elvis during his appearance on This Morning
Icon: Elvis died in August 1977 at the age of 42, dependent on prescription drugs – pictured the same year
a visibly star-struck Sarah Ferguson gushed over Sir cliff as she interviewed him while co-hosting the show – only for the veteran singer to close off her praise.
The Duchess of York, 64, appeared as a guest editor on today’s show, presenting alongside Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary.
Sarah sat next to Cliff on the sofa and said: ‘I can’t get over it, it’s just unbelievable.
“You know, Sir Cliff, sitting here with you, I’m at a loss for words, and that’s very unlike me!”
Sir Cliff concluded the compliment, replying, “Oh come on, you’re never lost.”
The mother-of-two was undeterred by the comment and then referred to one of her favorite songs by the singer, who has been making music for more than 65 years.
Oops: A visibly star-struck Sarah Ferguson gushed over Sir Cliff as she interviewed him while he co-hosted the show – only for the veteran singer to shut down her praise