Cliff Richard announces first Christmas album in 19 years

By Kerri-Ann Roper, PA Entertainment Editor

Sir Cliff Richard has announced he is to release his first dedicated Christmas album in nearly two decades.

The 81-year-old singer will release the record, titled Christmas With Cliff, on November 25th and it will feature 13 tracks comprising Christmas classics and new festive songs.

Richard's previous festive hits, including Mistletoe And Wine, Saviour’s Day and The Millennium Prayer, have become Christmas staples over the years, with his last Yuletide album, Cliff At Christmas, released 19 years ago in 2003.

He said: “I have always loved being in recording studios ever since Studio 2, Abbey Road, in 1958.

“I recorded this album in Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida – 4,427 miles away from Abbey Road – and once again I felt that I was in a world of my own!

“I had the help of two producers, Sam Hollander and Chris Walden.

“They guided me through the ‘well known’ Christmas songs and freed me to sing them my way.

“They had differing approaches to the songs that I asked them to produce for me, and they gave this album the dynamics that I had hoped for.

“This album is not just mine, it belongs to all of us involved in creating it, and I hope that we add a little something special to your Christmas season.”

Richard has enjoyed UK chart success with his previous festive songs, with Mistletoe And Wine bagging the coveted Christmas number one slot in 1988, and Saviour’s Day taking the title two years later in 1990, according to the Official Charts Company.

In 1960, with backing band The Shadows, the song I Love You was the Christmas number one.

Christmas With Cliff will see him “bringing together an album of classics” including songs like It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Sleigh Ride, Joy To The World, When A Child Is Born, Jingle Bell Rock and more, and new tracks First Christmas, Six Days After Christmas (Happy New Year), and Heart Of Christmas.