Sir Cliff Richard is to embark on a nationwide tour to coincide with his 80th birthday.

The veteran entertainer will celebrate the milestone in October next year, with his first tour date taking place a month earlier.

Sir Cliff will kick off The Great 80 Tour at the Gateshead Sage in September, before performing in cities including Glasgow, Blackpool and Birmingham.

Sir Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard is to embark on a nationwide tour to coincide with his 80th birthday (PA)

In October he will be in Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Bournemouth and Brighton.

Sir Cliff will cap off the tour with two dates at London’s Royal Albert Hall on October 12 and 13.

He is one of the most successful musicians ever, having sold more than 250 million records worldwide.

The singer launched his career in the 1950s with his backing group The Shadows and has been a fixture of the charts ever since, becoming the only singer to have a number one single in the UK in five consecutive decades.

Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff has been a fixture on the UK entertainment scene for 60 years (Niall Carson/PA)

Sir Cliff has reportedly moved to the US amid the fallout from the legal action he took against the BBC.

The pop star has previously told how the trauma of BBC coverage of the police search of his home, following a claim of historical sexual assault, left him emotionally drained.

Sir Cliff was not arrested and did not face charges.

Tickets for The Great 80 Tour will go on sale at 9am on Friday October 25. For more information visit www.livenation.co.uk