Jim Davidson re-arrested by Savile police (From Daily Echo)

Comedian Jim Davidson re-arrested by police over allegations of sexual offences

7:28pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News

Hampshire comedian Jim Davidson has been rearrested over fresh allegations of sexual offences, it emerged tonight.

The 59-year-old answered bail today after he was held in January by detectives working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation prompted by the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said a 59-year-old man had been “further arrested on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with further allegations made to Operation Yewtree”.

At the time of his first arrest in January, Davidson's solicitor Henri Brandman issued a statement to say he “vigorously denied” the allegations.

Davidson found fame as a stand-up comedian after winning TV talent show New Faces in 1976 before presenting television favourites including the Generation Game and Big Break.

He founded the British Forces Foundation charity in 1999 to provide entertainment for British troops around the world. In 2001 he was made an OBE for his services to charity.

Locally he has switched on Christmas lights in Stockbridge and has performed in pantomimes across the county.

In 2010 he was the brainchild behind an all-star tribute evening at Southampton’s The Mayflower in memory of the firefighters James Shears and Alan Bannon who died in the Shirley Towers tragedy.

In 2011 he returned to the city’s theatre with the play he wrote called Stand up...and be Counted.