Rolf Harris Re-Arrested Over More Sex Claims

The entertainer Rolf Harris has been arrested for a second time on suspicion of further sexual offences, Sky sources have said.

Harris, 83, answered police bail earlier and was told he faces additional allegations.

He was initially arrested in March by detectives from Operation Yewtree, the investigation launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse claims, and denied any wrongdoing.

Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, had been interviewed under caution on November 29 last year, five days after police searched his home.

In May the Australian performed his first live show since his arrest over historical sexual assault claims, thanking fans for their support at the performance in Bristol.

The artist and broadcaster told the crowd: "You've no idea what this means, for you all to turn up with such support and such enthusiasm."

Scotland Yard did not name Harris, but released a statement which said a man had been "further arrested on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with further allegations made to Operation Yewtree".

He has been released on bail to a date later in August.

Harris, who painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at a concert to mark her Diamond Jubilee last year, has been a household name for decades.

He gained cult status in recent years and performed at Glastonbury festival several times.

His first BBC1 programme, The Rolf Harris Show, was broadcasted in 1967 before moving to children's TV in the 1980s and then Animal Hospital, which he fronted for 10 years from 1994.

Harris was awarded an MBE in 1968, an OBE in 1977 and a CBE in 2006. He was made Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours list last year.

Operation Yewtree has been run in three strands - claims involving Savile, those involving Savile and others, and those involving others.

Harris is being dealt with under the "others" strand. He was publicly named as a suspect in April when The Sun newspaper became the first media outlet to identify him in connection with the investigation.