Sir Cliff Richard opens up about false sex abuse claims calling two-year ordeal an ’emotionally disastrous time’
The singer hopes to put the past behind him as he sells £6.4million Algarve vineyard, which was his 'haven'
SIR Cliff Richard fears he will never recover from the false sex abuse claims which forced him to fight a two-year battle to clear his name.
The singer says he was unable to sleep for more than two hours at time during his "emotionally disastrous" ordeal.
It began when the BBC broadcast a raid on his Berkshire home in August 2014.
Sir Cliff wrote in The Sunday Times: "It hurt me so much I don't think I can ever recover personally.
"I'm living my life again and it's all in my past, but when I think of what I tried to build up in my career, I know it's been damaged in places I won't ever go back to."
The 76-year-old was never arrested or charged over the sex abuse claims.
The case was finally thrown out by the Crown Prosecution Service in June 2016.
But the Summer Holiday singer believes the damage to his career was already done.
This week, Sir Cliff revealed he is selling his £6.4million Algarve vineyard where he spent two years fighting the historic sex abuse claims.
He plans to head to America where he can be "left alone".
He said: "It was here that I had the most terrible time of my life, but it was also here that I had the most beautiful time when it all ended.
"This place was such a haven for me.
"It didn't change the despair, but I'd rather have been despairing here than anywhere else."
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