#Review By Lou of Sir Cliff Richard In Conversation With Gloria Hunniford. Introduced by Christopher Biggins @onebiggins @fringeatpfield #CliffRichard #GloriaHunniford #EdFringe

Sir Cliff Richard In Conversation With Gloria Hunniford – Introduced by Christopher Biggins

5 stars for event

Review By Louise (Lou) – Bookmarks and Stages

First discover a bit about this new Edinburgh Fringe venue in Prestonfield, Edinburgh, that I am reliably informed, is planning on hosting events again next August, and then discover a bit about the event itself.
At the end of this review, you can find a link to a previous blog post I wrote and published at the beginning of their Fringe dates on what was hosted at this venue.

The Venue

Christopher Biggins is an actor, writer and producer. He played host to many guests at Prestonfield House Hotel. It’s a bit out of the centre of Edinburgh. I booked a taxi from Edinburgh Waverley train station, but you can go there by car or bus.

The grounds are tranquil, with a couple of peacocks wandering around. A bar and place to eat was set up in the grounds for the Fringe (there is also a restaurant in the hotel). I didn’t get chance to go there this time.

Here is the link to this stunning looking 5 star hotel:
https://www.prestonfield.com/

I went for this first year of this venue being part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to see Gloria Hunniford in conversation with Cliff Richard. They were in the stables, a wonderful intimate building, perfect for hosting talks in.

The Event

Christopher Biggins was charismatic as he came onto the stage to introduce his guests. Gloria Hunniford (a presenter on many shows, including Loose Women, which she announced she will be on the panel on Tuesday 29th August) came on first with much warmth and introduced Cliff Richard, with much of the audience standing on their feet. She oozed Irish warmth# and charm. I’ve always thought her brilliant at interviewing people, ever since she had a programme called Open House many years ago. I’d catch her about once a week during late lunch from studying, so it was lovely to watch her in-person still able to do her interviews and chats with aplomb!

Cliff Richard, then teased the audience by showing a foot and then a purple trousered leg, before revealing the rest of himself into public view. They then talked warmly about Scotland, made fun of Irish and Scottish weather and burst with much enthusiasm about the Tattoo, talking of the skill and choreography they’d seen the night before.

They talked of America and Cliff Richard talked of liking the anonymity over there and regaled a time when he was buying frozen yoghurt and someone thought he was a movie star and not a singer (of course, he has been in movies, such as Summer Holiday and The Young Ones). It had a funny punchline, but I’m not going to tell you that. He talked about Barbados a bit of course too, of course, how the other half live, but he steered away from being ostentatious about it. Both he and Gloria Hunniford talked about their humble upbringings and how they treated their family with their first couple of wage packets. They also, especially he, talked about when they were first starting out and about things that, I guess, you only semi consider, if at all. It was like a reminder that they weren’t always famous. Cliff Richard talked about how fortunate he was when there was hit after hit, not always number ones, but popular nonetheless.

I got the impression that Cliff Richard, alongside the confidence he oozes with, also has a humble side. He seemed grateful for people who inspired him, such as Elvis Presley, whom he admired for his music talent. He talked about wanting to be him, until someone else in the music industry told him to basically be himself. He also talked about The Shadows and how grateful he was to them and how they seemed to help each other. There are many endearing and humorous stories he told and what is also lovely is that they still talk. He talked with warmth about the people who seemed to help him on his way up, especially those in the music business, with a gratefulness of meeting them. He talked about the love of recording and performing too.

Gloria Hunniford talked about a dinner in a grand hotel she once hosted as Cliff Richard told of a time he met Neil Diamond. Turns out both have something to be thankful for of each other.

Gloria Hunniford had time to speak a bit. She talked very eloquently about some of the troubled times in Northern Ireland and together they talked about how Cliff Richard had gone over there. She also mentioned her late daughter Caron Keating and the charity work she does. Both she and Cliff Richard do a lot for charities. They talked about when they met the late Queen Elizabeth 11 and she had a humorous incident. They talked of their love of the royal family and how they see the UK being lucky to have them and how other countries relate to them and regard them.

Cliff Richard, egged, playfully on by Gloria Hunniford, performed extracts of songs in acapella. Not everyone can do this well, but Cliff Richard most definitely can and what an unexpected treat it was too.

The chat was natural (they’ve been friends for many years) and this oozed out into the audience. If you ever get to see them in-person, then I wholly recommend that you do. This was a delightful hour. I got the impression they would have talked for longer, as good friends do, but they were also the consummate professionals and remembered their audience too, when they spoke.

Cliff Richard is on a mini UK tour before going to the Royal Albert Hall and Gloria Hunniford is on the Loose Women panel on ITV/STV (if you’re in the UK) on Tuesday 29th August.

Link to what was on at Prestonfield An Overview of Prestonfield House Hotel