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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Cliff Richard divides fans with impromptu Wimbledon performance of Summer Holiday

Sir Cliff Richard 's unexpected performance at Wimbledon over the weekend divided fans watching at home.

The crooner's rendition of his iconic 1963 song 'Summer Holiday' on Sunday saw many tuned in to the BBC to rejoice at hearing his classic hit, while others dubbed Cliff's impromptu performance a 'total cringefest'.

The tennis-loving singer, 81, entertained the crowd at Wimbledon’s Centre Court as part of a special celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the main arena.

As he belted out an acappella version of one of his most famous songs on day seven of the British tournament, Cliff encouraged those in the crowd to sing along with him.

It had previously been a tradition for the chart-topping singer to entertain sport fans at Wimbledon over the years when rain caused play to stop, prior to retractable roofs ensuring matches can continue uninterrupted.

Sir Cliff Richard donned a Wimbledon-inspired suit to perform on Sunday (PA)

Those watch Cliff try get a singalong going in the sunshine, many tuned into the BBC coverage took to social media to give their verdict on his performance.

"I thought the whole point of spending £75m on a retractable roof at Wimbledon was to PREVENT Cliff Richard singalongs..." one unimpressed fan sarcastically quipped on Twitter on Sunday.,

"If @Wimbledon is wondering why its ticket sales have bombed this year, it might want to consider why it’s still asking Cliff Richard to croon a song that was in the charts 59 years ago," another scathing tweet reads.

Not everyone enjoyed Cliff's performance during the seventh day of the tennis tournament (Offside via Getty Images)

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"Cliff Richard at Wimbledon is a total cringefest. It was bad enough the first time round," one disappointed viewer added, with another joking: "Wimbledon's just wheeled out Cliff Richard singing Summer Holiday and now I've got to get a new telly."

Some loved Cliff's cameo at the sporting event and blasted others for mocking the veteran singer.

"So many rude comments about Sir Cliff Richard @Wimbledon," one defensive fan began on Twitter. "He is nearly 82, looks great for his age, still plays tennis-a game he loves- & he can still sing. Plus he is there to show his support for THE best tennis tournament - Wimbledon and celebrate 100 yrs of Centre Court!"

Plenty of Cliff fans jumped to the singer's defense online (PA)

Another agreed, writing: "What's embarrassing is not Cliff Richard but a society that mocks the old. Kindness is king. What happened to respect UK ?"

"I'm not sure why people have to make nasty comments about Cliff Richard singing at Wimbledon. People can be so unkind. Makes me sad," a third mused on Twitter.

Cliff's performance on Sunday took place on Centre Court prior to a full day of tennis on middle Sunday for the first time to celebrate its centenary.

Presenters Sue Barker, John McEnroe and Clare Balding all discussed 100 years of history of the famous court, alongside singer Freya Ridings following Cliff in performing for the thousands of spectators.

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