Once he was the bachelor boy, now he's the oldest swinger in town. But Sir Cliff Richard has rarely courted the degree of controversy likely to be provoked by a chapter in his new autobiography, in which he calls on the Church to give its blessing to same-sex marriage.

Sir Cliff, famously unbetrothed after six decades in showbusiness, claims same-sex marriages are a modern example of how the world has moved on. “I think the Church must come round and see people as they are now,” he says.

“Gone are the days when we assumed loving relationships would be solely between men and women."

The singer, who is a well-known pin-up for the Christian faith, has long been dogged by speculation about his sexuality. In his book he says he is sick of such rumours and defends homosexuality as a way of life.

“In the end, I believe, people are going to be judged for what they are. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: ’This is my partner - we are committed to each other,’ then I don’t care what their sexuality is. I'm not going to judge - I’ll leave that to God.”

Sir Cliff, 67, also spoke publically for the first time about his friendship with the former Roman Catholic priest with whom he shares his many homes. He describes Father John McElynn, whom he met seven years ago, as his “companion”.

The star who has sold more than 250 million records, reveals in the book how he met McElynn, a former missionary in the United States, on a trip to New York. Sir Cliff encouraged him to help with some charity work.

“John and I have over time struck up a close friendship. He has also become a companion, which is great because I don’t like living alone, even now," he says.

“People often make the mistake of thinking that only marriage equals happiness. I may suddenly meet someone and feel differently, but right now I am not sure marriage would enhance my happiness. As for my sexuality, I am sick to death of the media’s speculation about it.

“What business is it of anyone else’s what any of us are as individuals? I don’t think my fans would care either way.”

Sir Cliff says he considered marriage twice, to the dancer Jackie Irving and to Sue Barker, the BBC sports presenter and former tennis star.

He also writes in My Life, My Way that he was seduced by Carol Costa, who at the time was the estranged wife of Jet Harris, a member of Sir Cliff’s backing group The Shadows.

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