Latest show business luminary to become embroiled in allegations

In the light of Operation Yewtree and the horrors of the Jimmy Saville affair, it makes many show business observers wonder who is next and what further press revelations will be forthcoming.

Sir Cliff Richard is the latest show business luminary to become embroiled in allegations, although at the time of writing the enquiries are pretty scant is detail.

Like the allegations against Freddie Starr, Jim Davidson and all the rest, the currently perceived case against Sir Cliff could well come to nought. So, is this a show business witch hunt?

Only very recently, as was widely reported in the tabloid press, the actor and variety artiste Jeremy Smith was found guilty of rape. As the unsavoury story unfolded, it emerged that Smith was a visitor to a so-called swingers club in Sheffield, where the married entertainer claimed he had consensual sex with a female customer at a fancy dress party, whilst attired in the style of the comedy horror character Herman Munster. Smith’s victim claimed she had been raped after entering the swingers club purely to socialise. However Smith’s version of events was not believed by the majority of the jury. Smith is currently awaiting sentence.

It seems this is the end of the line career-wise for this once busy performer, who was known as a stand-in for the actor Robbie Coltrane in the Harry Potter films, as well as performing in a comedy tribute to Laurel and Hardy. Smith was also busy performing as a ventriloquist known as Mr Topper, but his career is now in tatters.

Smith’s predicament should serve as a warning to even low-profile performers that it might be an idea to be a little more circumspect about their sex lives. Perhaps performers need to remember that, at a greater or smaller extent, entertainers are public figures. As may well be the case with Sir Cliff, sometimes mud sticks to the guilty as well as the innocent.

Mark Ritchie