Prominent Australian entertainer arrested in UK on sex charges

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A prominent Australian entertainer has been arrested and questioned by British investigators connected to the Jimmy Savile child sex abuse scandal.

The unnamed 82-year-old man, who lives in Berkshire in the south of England, was arrested on Thursday.

His was the 11th arrest so far by police investigating hundreds of allegations of sexual abuse levelled at Savile, a once much-loved DJ and public figure. Savile died in 2011 aged 84.

The London Metropolitan Police would not name the entertainer unless he was charged but told British media the man fell into a category of people "who were in the public spotlight at around that time''.

The entertainer was interviewed under caution in late November, five days after a search warrant was executed at his Berkshire home, media reported.

Police stressed the arrest was not connected to the specific allegations made against Savile.

The Daily Mail reported the man had been granted police bail until May.

Eleven people have so far been arrested as a result of the Savile investigation, named Operation Yewtree, including singer Gary Glitter, comedians Freddie Starr and Jim Davidson and radio presenter Stuart Hall.

Operation Yewtree was established after a TV documentary aired allegations that former BBC DJ Savile sexually abused countless children.

A police spokesman told the Australian Associated Press there were three categories of people subject to the investigation: Savile himself, people close to the presenter and "others''.

The 82-year-old is in the last category which ``is generally people who were in the public spotlight at around that time'', the spokesman said on Friday.