Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini has hit out at police over the investigation into Cliff Richard and said he’ll ‘eat his hat’ if the singer is ever convicted.

The DJ, 66, has released a memoir about the 12 months he spent on bail before the case against him was dropped by police in October last year.

Today, he launched a scathing attack on the police over their treatment of Cliff Richard, who was made the subject of an investigation last year but has never been arrested or charged and denies any wrongdoing.

Mr Gambaccini told ITV’s Loose Women: ‘The Cliff Richard case eats away at me everyday because here is one of the greatest Englishmen of the 20th century being persecuted in the 21st.

‘I [would] say to him what I do say to him when we are in contact and that is be of good faith, he knows the love and support there is for him in this country and he is determined to see this through.

‘I will make this promise to you if Cliff Richard is ever convicted of any offence down to and including parking violations, I will eat my hat.’