I wanted to be a naughty girl in the Sixties, says Cilla... so I tried cannabis and it was terrifying  

Cilla Black tried marijuana once, but did not enjoy the experience

It was the decade of drugs and a whole lot more but one star of the Swinging Sixties has admitted shunning the hedonism all around her.

Cilla Black revealed that she tried marijuana once - and did not enjoy the experience.

The singer, 70, also admitted she was ‘terrified' when cannabis joints were passed around at parties.

And her loyalty to fans and status as a solo artist ensured she never got ‘out of it' on stage.

‘It is a different time we're living in altogether,' she said. ‘The drug thing - that's what really bothers me. Drugs were always there but even in the early days in the 60s - Make Love Not War and all the rest of it - I couldn't do any of that because, you know why? Ego.

‘They were all groups remember. I was a single artist. So if someone was out of it on stage in a band, someone else would cover for them. I had no cover at all. So I had a responsibility and my ego was too large to get involved.

‘Plus, I was frightened. I was terrified of drugs, I really was. I remember being at a party and everybody was there. The Beatles, The Moody Blues, you name it.

‘All these bands were there and this spliff was being handed around and I thought, "This has been in everybody's mouth, but it ain't going in mine".

‘I didn't smoke anyway, so that was a blessing really. I think I turned on [got high] once. Yes, it was once. I didn't like it. It didn't do anything to me. So, I tried to be a naughty girl, but it didn't work for me.'
However, Miss Black still had fun then - and continues to enjoy life now. ‘I can swing along with the rest of them,' she said.

‘I have a reputation for being a party girl. Even Paul O'Grady says I'm responsible for both of his heart attacks! And I'm still rocking on. I've always had this energy. Maybe it's a nervous energy, I don't know. But I do have a zest for life.'

Miss Black - real name Priscilla White - was speaking ahead of an ITV special programme being screened next Friday to mark her 50 years in showbusiness. Spotted in 1963 aged 19 by Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles, she was a millionaire by 25 and had 11 top ten UK hits from 1964 to 1971.

Miss Black went on to present the highly successful ITV show Blind Date for 18 years from 1985.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk 22/06/2013