Sir Cliff Richard is terrified of being photographed around youngsters after false sex abuse claims were made against him.
The 78-year-old singer spent two years being investigated but was never charged after being accused of historic sexual abuse in 2014 and admitted that he now tries to avoid being photographed with children in case he is called a paedophile.
Speaking during the filming of ITV’s ‘Sir Cliff Richard, 60 Years in Public and Private’, he said: "They have given me something I can never ever be free of. Ever!
"I do not have any hint of that kind of activity in my background — none at all. If I was a paedophile there’s no way I could hide it for 60 years. It’s impossible."
Speaking about his ordeal, he added: "I thought I was going to die, supposing I had a heart attack. I had shingles and I didn’t sleep more than an average of two hours a night."
Cliff’s close friend Gloria Hunniford said he told her: "I will never put my arms around young people again when I’m having photographs taken."
Cliff has previously insisted he would never have got through the last four years without his Christian faith.
He said: He said of his religion: "I can only say it’s the major thing that helped me get through the past four years.
"Having no faith would have left me hopelessly lost and in the dark.
"My good friends were always there for me and I couldn’t have done without them either.
"But in the end, when you say good night and you close your eyes, there’s nobody else but you. But for me there was someone.
"I never felt neglected or ignored by God. And that was a major factor. I believe it’s God’s presence that makes you see how committed other people are to you.
"With what I went through, it would have been easy to become self-centred.
"But I believed that the goodness that Jesus talked about let me see that my friends and family – and fans – were very concerned about me. There were really moments when I could not stop weeping and thinking, my God, I will get through this."
‘Sir Cliff Richard, 60 years In Public and Private’ will air on ITV on December 10.
Sir Cliff Richard’s fears after false allegations
