At nearly 85, Sir Cliff Richard has pretty much done it all—charted hits, sold millions of records, toured the world, and even beaten Harry Styles in calendar sales.
But now, as he gears up for another string of shows in Australia and New Zealand, the legendary performer is starting to wonder if this could be the end of the road when it comes to touring.
And in true Cliff fashion, he’s being completely candid about it.
“I Might Be Dead Next Year” — Cliff Gets Real About the Future
Speaking to a New Zealand radio station, Cliff admitted he doesn’t spend much time thinking too far ahead anymore.
“I might be dead next year!” he said bluntly, when asked if this would be his final tour. “It’s one of those things.
As I get older, maybe I’ll become less able to perform, so I can’t say.”
While he hasn’t officially called it a “farewell tour,” he was honest about how tough touring has become.
“It’s very wearing, and you never know when you wake up in the morning whether your voice is still there.”
No More Dance Moves from the Octogenarian Teenager
One thing Cliff’s fans shouldn’t expect to see during his upcoming Can’t Stop Me Now shows? His iconic dance moves.
“I’m not going to pretend to be 18 anymore,” he joked.
“We’ll try and create something that makes it look like I’m 18—but I’m not.”
Still, he promised fans that the show will be full of energy and warmth, especially with the tight bond he shares with his band on stage.
Cliff Has Always Avoided the “Retirement” Word
Despite the honest talk about aging and slowing down, Cliff has long insisted he’s not one for official goodbyes.
Back in 2022, he made it clear: “Retiring is not in my vocabulary. But stopping? Stopping is fine.”
For him, stopping means having the freedom to jump back in whenever he feels like it.
“I could phone my office and say, ‘Can you get us a couple of nights at the Royal Albert Hall?’” he explained.
That flexibility, he said, is what keeps things fun.
From Teen Idol to Calendar King
Cliff’s career stretches all the way back to 1958, when he scored a hit with Move It.
Since then, he’s released more than 50 albums and sold a jaw-dropping 250 million records worldwide.
But aside from the music, there’s another place he’s consistently ruled for decades—the calendar game.
Yes, Cliff’s calendars are still outselling younger stars like Harry Styles and Taylor Swift.
His 2025 calendar is his 47th, and it features sunny shots taken at his Barbados home and on a cruise ship.
A Peek Inside Cliff’s 2025 Calendar
The new calendar captures Sir Cliff in all his beachy, breezy glory.
February shows him posing in check shorts next to elephant statues in his garden, while August features him clutching a cocktail aboard a liner.
Even though he promised fans there’d be no more topless shots after 2022, his October photo—with him poolside—offers just a cheeky hint of those racier days.
All the photos were once again snapped by his trusted photographer, Robin Williams.
“I just love being in or on the water,” Cliff said. “It clears my mind and helps me think about what comes next.”
Still Breaking Records After All These Years
Cliff’s calendars are no joke when it comes to sales.
Since his first one in 1979, he’s brought in an estimated £2 million just from calendars alone.
In 2022, his edition was the top-selling calendar of any music star, beating even Elvis.
For 2024, he landed in fourth—just behind Taylor Swift—but ahead of many younger stars.
Not bad for someone who once scoffed at the idea of needing a pension plan at 18.
So What’s Next for Sir Cliff?
While he may be nearing the end of his touring days, Cliff is keeping things open. He’s not saying goodbye to performing entirely—just maybe to the long, exhausting tours.
As he put it himself: “I don’t mind stopping. I just don’t want to retire.”