Cilla Black’s son Robert Willis releases unseen footage of his late mother as he shares sweet tribute ahead of the fifth anniversary of her death
Cilla Black’s son has released unseen footage of his late mother at home as he shares a sweet tribute to the singer ahead of the fifth anniversary of her death.
The Surprise Surprise host, who died aged 72, is seen in the intimate home movie at home in Denham, Buckinghamshire, with her then three-year-old son Robert Willis.
Touching footage from September 1973 shows a relaxed Cilla taking a stroll through her rose garden before spending quality time with Robert in the kitchen.
Sweet: Cilla Black, who died aged 72, is seen in the intimate home movie at home in Denham, Buckinghamshire, with her then three-year-old son Robert Willis
In other scenes, the Blind Date star gives viewers a personal tour of the home and features her husband Bobby and the family’s three Briard dogs, Sophie, Ada and Walter.
Cilla reveals how young Robert, who had just started nursery, is ‘camera shy’ and ‘not like mum’ as he plays in the garden with the dogs before watching his mother in the kitchen.
Speaking in a prelude to the footage, the Anyone Who Had a Heart singer, says: ‘Really it’s just meant to show a few of the things that happen in our house on a typical day when I am the Palladium.’
Everyday life: Touching footage from September 1973 shows a relaxed Cilla taking a stroll through her rose garden before spending quality time with Robert in the kitchen
‘Now the first thing you will see is jolly old me arriving home after a drive down to the village to get my weekend shopping in.’
Film and audio tapes were uncovered by Robert and his younger brothers Jack, 40, and Ben, 46, when they were clearing their mother’s house following her death.
Robert described how he got ‘choked up’ upon finding the tapes in a previous interview, according to The Mirror.
Close: Cilla and her husband Bobby after she returns home with grocery shopping in the village
Natural: The Surprise Surprise host is seen taking a walk through her rose garden in the unseen footage.
Playful: In other scenes, the Blind Date star gives viewers a personal tour of the home and features her husband Bobby and the family’s three Briard dogs, Sophie, Ada and Walter
Cilla passed away at her house in Estepona, on the Costa del Sol, Spain, after she fell and hit her head before losing consciousness and suffering a stroke.
Robert, who is the eldest of four, shared the rare clip ‘as a gift to Cilla’s fans’ as he turned 50 on Saturday with August 1 marking the fifth anniversary of the tragedy.
Posting on cillablack.com, he wrote: ‘As I turn 50 today, here’s a little something special from our family archives.
Home life: The singer is seen flicking through letters and fan mail as she relaxes at home
He ended: ‘I hope you enjoy seeing this as much as my family and I have.’
The short film was originally made for the Cilla Black Fan Club convention at Tiffany’s in London in October 1973 where 1,200 luck guests joined her to celebrate 10 years in showbiz.
Clips were also used in the ITV documentary, Cilla: The Lost Tapes, yet the majority of the footage has not been seen for more than 45 years.
Smile: Cilla laughs as she watches her son Robert play with husband Bobby and their dogs
Working woman: Speaking in a prelude to the footage, the Anyone Who Had a Heart singer, says: ‘Really it’s just meant to show a few of the things that happen in our house on a typical day when I am the Palladium’