Comedian Tarbuck, 73, held over child sex claim

The comedian, 73, was questioned by North Yorkshire Police on April 26 in relation to an incident which allegedly occurred in the late 1970s in Harrogate, when the victim was a young boy.

Police confirmed a 73-year-old man was arrested in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, but the television personality’s name was not revealed until he was identified by a newspaper.

Tarbuck had been due to visit the region as part of a nationwide tour this summer but his management team yesterday contacted venues where he had been due to perform, including two in Leeds and Bridlington, saying he was postponing the gigs on medical advice, because he was “suffering from ill health”.

His arrest came after information was passed on by Metropolitan Police officers in London working on Operation Yewtree, the nationwide investigation looking into sex abuse committed by Jimmy Savile, and others.

But North Yorkshire Police said the arrest was part of their own separate investigation rather than being part of Yewtree.

The entertainer and quiz show host, who has an OBE for services to showbusiness and charity, was released on bail pending further enquiries.

Tarbuck, who appeared last year at the Harrogate Comedy Festival, has spent more than 50 years in the entertainment industry.

He hosted Yorkshire Television’s game show Winner Takes All between 1975 and 1986, as well as Tarby’s Frame Game, produced by the same company, between 1987 and 1989.

The veteran comedian stayed behind closed doors yesterday and refused to comment after news of his arrest emerged.

Tarbuck, who lives with his wife Pauline and is the father of actress, television and radio presenter Liza Tarbuck, said he had “no comment” to make. His agent said he had no plans to make a statement about his arrest.

As part of a nationwide tour planned for this summer, he was due to play at City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds on June 21 and The Spa in Bridlington on June 23. The City Varieties website yesterday said the performance on June 21 was “to be confirmed”. Leeds City Council said: “The show has been taken off sale”.

An email sent to the council from Tarbuck’s management team said: “I have been informed by Mr Tarbuck’s medical adviser that Jimmy is suffering from ill health, and in light of his previous health issues, he has advised him that he should rest for the foreseeable future.

“I feel that as Mr Tarbuck’s producer and promoter, I have no option but to postpone the forthcoming theatre tour until Mr Tarbuck returns to good health.

“We are therefore postponing the tour and re-scheduling for 2014. We apologies for any inconvenience this may cause, but hope you will be understanding.”

East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which runs The Spa in Bridlington, later confirmed it had also taken tickets for the June 23 gig “off sale”.

Tarbuck is the latest in a long string of veteran celebrities to be arrested on suspicion of sex offences allegedly committed over the past few decades, including convicted paedophile Gary Glitter, comedians Freddie Starr and Jim Davidson, presenter Rolf Harris and DJ Dave Lee Travis. All deny any wrongdoing and investigations are continuing.

Last week former BBC presenter Stuart Hall pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting 13 girls, the youngest aged nine, between the 1960s and the 1980s. Police said the news of his arrest meant more victims came forward.

Tarbuck, known affectionately as ‘Tarby’, began his showbusiness career aged 18 as a member of a touring rock ’n’ roll show and then as a Redcoat for a Butlins holiday camp in Brighton. After leaving school at 15 his first jobs were as a mechanic and sweeping the floor of a ladies’ hairdresser. He once recalled: “It was a brilliant way to meet girls.”

The father-of-three, whose catchphrase was “boom boom”, was classmates with John Lennon. He claimed the former Beatle once spiked his drink with speed.

The entertainer and keen golfer’s first taste of mainstream success came in 1964, when he presented It’s Tarbuck 65! on ITV, before going on to present a number of television shows.