Sir Cliff Richard has spoken out claiming that he doesn’t believe that new emerging artists receive enough support in order to make it in the music industry.

He said in an interview for The Wireless radio station: "I don't think the new groups and young singers have the same support system.

"Today you can have a number one, [but] if your next record's not number one sometimes they won't re-sign.

"It's because they don't have the same faith in the artists that my producer and manager, Norrie Paramour and Peter Gormley, had."

Sir cliff went on to praise the quality of talent from emerging artists: "When you think about it, even the losers on X Factor are good. I mean, they're really good singers these days.

"When you think of One Direction, five of them, they all lost. None of them won X Factor and they're the biggest boyband in the world at the moment."