Scottish comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli has been arrested and charged in connection with what has been described as ‘non-recent’ sexual offences.
The 54-year-old has been released and is due to appear in court at a later date.
Kohli has presented several programmes for the BBC and other broadcasters, and was runner up in the 2006 edition of Celebrity MasterChef.
He was also a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.
A police spokesperson said that a report of the circumstances had been submitted to the procurator fiscal.
The arrest follows an investigation by the Times which described how several people had raised concerns about the presenter.
Police Scotland confirmed last month it was investigating the allegations.
It came after Kohli was accused of sexual harassment by multiple women in 2020.
At the time he issued a statement that read: ‘It is now clear to me that my actions and words made women feel intimidated, undermined and undervalued. For this, I apologise unreservedly and can only hope to live a life of greater understanding.’
Born in London and raised in Glasgow, Kohli started his career at the national broadcaster as a director of children’s television, before later becoming a series director on Janet Street-Porter’s series Reportage.
He was a director of It’ll Never Work, which was the first children’s TV show to win an award from the Royal Television Society and BAFTA in its first season.
Leaving the corporation in 1996 to work independently he went on to direct commercials and in TV development.
While he wrote, directed and starred in Channel 4’s Meet the Magoons in 2004, it was largely a flop.
Two years later he took part in the first series of BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef, reaching the final and coming second to retired rugby union player Matt Dawson.
In subsequent years he had a series, £50 Says You’ll Watch This, about gambling, and also presented New British Kitchen alongside John Torode.
In 2008 he participated in a celebrity edition of The Apprentice, but was the first to be fired.
That same year he filmed a documentary exploring Scientology.
The comedian and broadcaster was struck off BBC’s The One Show for several months in 2009 after ‘stepping over the mark’ with a female researcher.
He was removed from the weekday evening programme for six months after the researcher lodged a complaint about his behaviour two months previously.
His contract was never renewed.
Nearly a decade later, in 2018, Kohli signed up for Celebrity Big Brother and later became the fifth housemate to be evicted.
Over the years he has also presented several radio shows and written columns for a range of publications.
Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives for Hardeep Singh Kohli for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Source: Read Full Article