Jimmy Savile's former producer Ted Beston arrested and bailed in abuse investigation

A former BBC radio producer for Jimmy Savile is understood to be the latest person to be arrested by police investigating sexual abuse by the broadcaster.

Detectives from Operation Yewtree, the Scotland Yard investigation into sex offences by Savile and others, yesterday searched the south-east London home of Ted Beston, 76, who worked with the DJ on Radio One shows including a series in which he travelled across the country interviewing the public.

The Yard said it had detained a man in his 70s on suspicion of sexual offences and that the arrest related to a strand of the wide-ranging investigation described as “Savile and others”. Last night he was bailed until February.

Police said last week 450 victims have come forward to make complaints of sex attacks against the Jim’ll Fix It presenter, including 31 claims of rape. The sheer number of allegations was described as “unprecedented” for a single individual. Mr Beston, from Bromley, worked in the 1960s and 1970s at the BBC with Savile, who referred to him on air as “Uncle Ted”. The pair worked together on programmes including Savile’s Travels and The Double Top Ten Show.

Detectives were seen leaving Mr Beston’s large detached house carrying a black holdall and sealed bin liners.

The arrest was the eighth by Yewtree detectives. A series of high-profile names have been detained including Max Clifford, Freddie Starr and Dave Lee Travis.

They have all denied any wrongdoing. The Met and the NSPCC are compiling a report which will provide an overview of Savile’s activities.