Sir Cliff vows to keep on singing

Sir Cliff is the most successful British artist in UK chart history

Sir Cliff Richard has scotched reports that he is to give up making records in protest at a lack of radio airplay.

On Tuesday, the veteran star was quoted as saying he would not waste time on "a record that no-one will play".

But Sir Cliff's promotions manager Lisa Davis has said: "There is no truth in the story that he won't be making or releasing any more records."

He was in the studio recording a new song on Tuesday, when the Daily Mail report was published, she added.

Sir Cliff is planning a new album and has recorded Miss You Nights with pop-opera group G4, which is expected to be released as a Christmas single.

'Crossed wires'

Ms Davis said the reports about his retirement were down to crossed wires.

"Cliff was having a pop at radio stations that don't play him, but there are plenty that do support him," she said. "He was A-listed at Radio 2 for five weeks in May."

The Daily Mail quoted the star as saying he would still play concerts but would not release any more records because radio stations put an unofficial ban on him.

"I just don't want to go to all the effort of putting something together if people won't even give it a chance," he said, according to the newspaper.

Chart record

Sir Cliff is the most successful British artist in UK chart history, spending almost 2,000 weeks on the singles and albums rundowns since 1958.

He was among 100 entertainers honoured with a plaque on the Avenue of Stars, the UK's answer to Hollywood's Walk of Fame, on Sunday.

Last year, DJ Tony Blackburn was suspended from his job on Classic Gold Digital for playing Cliff Richard records against station policy.

But he was reinstated after support from Sir Cliff's legion of fans.