Sir Cliff Richard is suing the BBC and South Yorkshire Police for a reported £1 million for broadcasting a police raid on his home.
This follows the Crown Prosecution Service decision not to pursue Sir Cliff over unfounded sex abuse allegations.
CPS ends Sir Cliff Richard sex abuse inquiry, with no further action to be taken
— Cliff Richard (@SirCliffNews) June 16, 2016
Sir Cliff’s legal action is based on his belief that the BBC’s live coverage of the raid, in 2014, damaged his reputation and earnings.
Now well-placed sources have repeated to Heat Street that former Radio 2 disc jockey Tony Blackburn is also preparing to sue the BBC.
Blackburn was sacked in February after BBC chief Tony Hall found there were “inconsistencies” in the evidence he gave to the Dame Janet Smith Review into Jimmy Savile – specifically over whether he gave evidence to an internal BBC inquiry in 1971 about an unfounded allegation that he seduced a 15-year-old girl.
Blackburn, 73, made it clear in February that he was considering legal action over Hall’s decision to fire him.
It seems he has not dropped the idea.
I know loads of people who over the years have done absolutely nothing and been paid a fortune for messing everything up.
— Tony Blackburn (@tonyblackburn) July 11, 2016
Indeed, it sounds as though he is more determined than ever to do something about it.
His aim is to sue Hall personally for ending his 49-year BBC career.
Blackburn was never questioned by police over the allegation and nobody apart from the girl – who took her own life in 1971 – has ever suggested he had any involvement with her.
Heat Street asked the BBC who was representing Hall in this matter and who would paying Hall’s legal fees: him or the BBC?
A spokesman refused to comment.
If, as seems increasingly likely, Blackburn does sue Hall and is successful in his action, who will foot the bill: Hall personally, or the BBC (in other words licence fee payers)?
