Max Clifford gets back to work after arrest in sex abuse probe

The publicist was questioned on Thursday on suspicion of sexual offences as part of Operation Yewtree, the investigation into allegations of sex abuse surrounding Savile and others.

Speaking to reporters outside his Surrey home yesterday, Mr Clifford said: “I’ll be working as I normally do – so trying to make things as normal as I possibly can under the circumstances.

“All I can say is that they are totally without any foundation and they are totally untrue.”

Mr Clifford said he had “nothing to hide”.

Asked about the statement he made outside Belgravia police station in London after being released on bail on Thursday night, he said: “I’d been there about 12 hours sitting in the cells and being asked questions for hours and hours and hours. I wasn’t exactly a bundle of joy, you know.

“I still came out and faced the cameras and spoke to everyone as I’ve got nothing to hide.

“I understand you have got a job to do because I have been involved for the last 45 years.

“It’s a horrible thing to happen to anybody but I’m old enough and ugly enough to face it and sort it out, which is what I have got to do.”

Mr Clifford, who was arrested at his home at 7.40am on Thursday, added: “The police have got to look into it. That’s what they have to do and obviously I have to answer their questions and hopefully show clearly and conclusively to them and everybody else that there’s absolutely no truth in it at all.

“It’s extremely distressing, not only for myself but also for my wife Joan and my daughter Louise, for friends and family. It’s horrible for them as well.

“So it is up to me to do everything I can to sort this out as quickly as possible and hopefully the truth will come out and then I can get back to the life I have enjoyed for the last however many years.”

Mr Clifford said he thought he was facing two allegations dating back to 1977.

Police said in a statement that a man from Surrey arrested on suspicion of sexual offences had been bailed to appear at a date later this month, adding: “We are not prepared to discuss further.”

Scotland Yard is leading the national investigation into claims made against disgraced TV presenter Savile and other figures in the entertainment industry.

Mr Clifford is the fifth suspect to be arrested – and the sixth person to be questioned – in connection with the Yewtree operation, which has already cost around £2m and involves a team of 30 officers.

Last month the publicist publicly questioned where the police inquiry might lead and said a lot of old stars were worried about being dragged into the investigation because they had appeared on Top of the Pops or Jim’ll Fix It and had merely posed for photographs with girls and Savile.

“It is a situation which could easily turn into a witch-hunt, a lot of big stars are frightened,” he said. “Where is it going to end? I hope they (the police) concentrate on finding people like Jimmy Savile who were manipulating girls.”

His arrest follows the questioning by detectives last week of a man in his 80s from Berkshire, as part of the investigation that does not directly relate to Savile.

Gary Glitter, Freddie Starr, Dave Lee Travis and a man in his 70s, reported to be former television producer Wilfred De’Ath, have been arrested and bailed as part of the investigation.

Last month Scotland Yard said it was dealing with about 450 potential victims, the vast majority of whom claimed they had fallen prey to Savile.