• The 59-year-old TV personality - previously voted Britain's funniest man - and a 53-year-old man have been taken into custody
• Comedian 'vigorously denies' the allegations against him
  
• Detectives have arrested ten men in connection with Operation Yewtree
• Both have been arrested under the 'others' strand of the investigation
  

By Arthur Martin, Inderdeep Bains and Paul Revoir

PUBLISHED: 14:13 EST, 2 January 2013 | UPDATED: 20:53 EST, 2 January 2013

Jim Davidson was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences yesterday by police investigating the Jimmy Savile child abuse scandal.

The 59-year-old comedian is understood to have been detained at Heathrow after returning to the UK ahead of a planned appearance on reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother, which starts tonight.

Davidson was taken to a London police station and questioned for hours on suspicion of committing sexual offences.

Last night his solicitor said in a statement that the comedian ‘vigorously denies’ the allegations, which he said dated back about 25 years.

In October Davison, who formerly hosted BBC shows Big Break and The Generation Game, publicly labelled the Savile investigation a ‘witch hunt’.

On his blog he wrote: ‘The Savile witch hunt is going a bit silly now. We all are starting to speculate and accuse ... even in jest. So no, I don’t know who’s next.

‘Everyone has had the nod. Everyone is an expert.

'Just pick someone you don’t like and say it’s them.

'As odd as he was, Savile can’t defend himself.

'The bloke’s dead for God’s sake. Let’s move on.’

Davidson had flown to London yesterday to give a series of interviews in advance of his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5.

Last night it was understood that a replacement was being lined up to take his place on the show.

Several plain-clothed police officers spent more than four hours searching Davidson’s £1million Georgian home in the picturesque village of Stockbridge in Hampshire.

They left the property at 7pm carrying boxes which appeared to contain plastic evidence bags and brown envelopes.

Police also arrested a 53-year-old man at his home in Hampshire at 8am yesterday on suspicion of committing sexual offences.

The suspect, who is thought to be a DJ who has worked with Davidson, was taken to a nearby police station for questioning.

Davidson has often courted controversy by telling offensive jokes about ethnic minorities, homosexuals and the disabled.

He has divorced four times and in 2011 married his fifth wife, Michelle Cotton, 17 years his junior.

Last night his solicitor Henri Brandman said: ‘Two women have made allegations in respect of Jim that date back approximately 25 years. The complainants were then in their mid-twenties.

‘Jim vigorously denies the allegations. He answered police questions as fully as he was able after this passage of time.

‘He has not been charged with any offence. Neither he nor I will be making any further comment.’

Davidson and the 53-year-old man are the ninth and tenth arrests made in the Savile investigation, called Operation Yewtree.

Detectives are working through an arrest list of people who could be questioned about allegations made by victims of Savile or others associated with him.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘A 53-year-old man was arrested at approximately 8am at an address in Hampshire and taken into custody locally.

‘A 59-year-old man was arrested at approximately midday in West London and taken into custody at a London police station.’

Scotland Yard said a total of 31 allegations of rape have been made against Savile so far.

And 589 people have come forward with information relating to the scandal, with a total of 450 complaints against the BBC presenter and DJ himself, mainly alleging sexual abuse, police said.

Ten weeks after the launch of Operation Yewtree, police recorded 199 crimes in 17 force areas in which Savile is a suspect, with 31 allegations of rape.

Others who have been arrested include former pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and publicist Max Clifford. Those three are on police bail.

The investigation has three strands, one dealing with allegations directly involving Jimmy Savile, the second involving allegations against associates of the disgraced DJ and the third involving 'others'.

Operation Yewtree has already cost around £2million and involves a team of 30 officers.

In December a man from London in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences.

PR guru Max Clifford was then arrested on suspicion of sexual offences but was later bailed as part of the probe.

A man aged in his 80s from Berkshire was interviewed by detectives three weeks ago.

Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ 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 probe.

On Monday, Starr and Clifford were re-bailed to return on dates in February and March pending further inquiries.

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