She worked for the London Evening Standard from 1958[1] conducting interviews with many prominent musicians of the era, including Bob Dylan and John Lennon.

She convinced its editor, Charles Wintour, to make her a show business correspondent and to let her write a pop music column called "Disc Date".

[11] Cleave began guesting on TV’s pop panel game Juke Box Jury in 1964 alongside Millicent Martin, Matt Monro and Bobby Vee.

[13] Five months later, on the eve of a 14-city US tour, an American magazine reproduced the remark, which led to a wave of anti-Beatle sentiment in many parts of the US, especially the South and Midwest.

[14][13] According to the Bob Spitz biography of the Beatles, Lennon claimed a liaison with Cleave, inspiring the band's song "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)".

[6] Her choice of "remarkable people" to interview included for example Guinness heiress Aileen Plunket (1983), rock star Little Richard (1985), and Donald Maclean, who was chairman of the National Vegetable Society.

[6] Cleave was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, shortly after collapsing on the platform of Tottenham Court Road tube station in August 1992.