Freddie Starr and Max Clifford bailed until new year

Two high-profile figures arrested by detectives investigating the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal have been rebailed until next year, police said.

Comedian Freddie Starr and publicist Max Clifford have been rebailed to return on dates in February and March pending further inquiries.

Starr, 69, was arrested in Warwickshire on 1 November as part of Operation Yewtree, the investigation into allegations of sex abuse surrounding Savile and others. He had been publicly implicated in the Savile scandal, but strongly denied any accusations.

PR guru Clifford was arrested on 6 December at his Surrey home on suspicion of sexual offences. He described the allegations as “damaging and totally untrue”.

A Scotland Yard spokesman yesterday said: “A man in his 60s (‘Yewtree 2’), who was arrested on 1 November, has been rebailed to return on a date in March pending further inquiries.

“A second man in his 60s (‘Yewtree 6’), who was arrested on 6 December, has been rebailed to return in February.”