First Christmas album in almost 20 years

Clifford Richard, the 81-year-old music legend, has announced his new Yuletide collection, ‘Christmas With Cliff,’ will arrive on November 25.

As well as festive covers, such as ‘Joy To The World’, ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ and ‘Sleigh Ride’, Cliff, who performed in Sri Lanka, in 2007, has recorded brand new original tracks, ‘First Christmas’, ‘Six Days After Christmas (Happy New Year)’ and ‘Heart Of Christmas’.

The ‘Young Ones’ singer ironically recorded the festive songs in sunny Florida.

He said in a statement: “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.”

Cliff released ‘Cliff at Christmas,’ in 2003, and ‘Together With Cliff Richard,’ in 1991.

He has had four UK Christmas No.1 singles, two as a solo artiste, with ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ and ‘Saviour’s Day.’