Dave Lee Travis taken off air after Savile-linked arrest

Mr Travis, 67, was arrested and bailed (see video above) by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the investigation triggered by revelations about Savile.

He was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences and was taken into police custody on Thursday. He will return for further questioning in early January, police said.

Police are dividing the investigation into three strands: offences allegedly committed by Savile, offences allegedly committed by Savile with others, and offences allegedly committed by others on their own. Police said the man arrested this morning feel into the third ‘others’ category.

Arrests

This is the fourth arrest as a part of Operation Yewtree. At the end of October former pop star Gary Glitter was the first person to be arrested as a part of the investigation. After being questioned in a central London police station he was bailed until mid-December.

Comedian Freddie Starr was arrested in Warwickshire on 1 November, and was later bailed.

On Saturday an unnamed man in his 70s became the third person to be arrested. He was arrested at a premises in Cambridge and was bailed until a date in September.

Police said 450 victims have come forward so far, and that 200 allegations of sexual assault have been recorded. Officers are still the process of trying to contact all potential victims.

Taken off air

Mr Travis has been taken off the airwaves “with immediate effect” by the owners of radio station Magic AM.

Bauer Media issued the statement: “Following the arrest and release on police bail of Dave Lee Travis, Bauer Media has decided to take him off air with immediate effect from his Magic AM weekend shows, which broadcast across the north of England.

“We understand that the allegations about which he was questioned by police pre-date his time as a freelance contributor to Magic AM.”