Brian Epstein thought Cilla was no good as a singer.

But John Lennon thought she was great and the Beatles played for her audition with Brian. She’d never auditioned before and she was very nervous.

The lads only played in one key, which wasn’t favourable to her and she really wasn’t very good. Brian wasn’t impressed.

But a month later he was in the audience when she was singing at a local club. Cilla didn’t know he was there and she was her natural self. He went potty and next day he went round to see her mum and dad. That was take-off.

Brian made me Cilla’s road manager because her mum and dad knew and trusted me and Cilla felt relaxed with me. 

When he first asked me to look after Cilla he said she should have nothing to worry about other than singing.

So I had to organise all the travelling, sort out the theatres, the lighting, the sound - everything.

All I insisted on - and Brian agreed - was that we get a good accountant.

‘Don’t owe anybody anything, pay your way and pay your taxes,’ I told Cilla.

She was in the business a long time before she got her first Bentley and then we paid cash for it. We’ve always done that.