Jimmy Tarbuck breaks down in tears in first TV interview since historic sex abuse claims were dropped

First interview: Jimmy Tarbuck opens up about historic sex abuse claims
ITV/Loose Women
Jennifer Ruby21 September 2015
The Weekender

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Jimmy Tarbuck broke down in tears as he discussed his arrest for the first time since the historic sex abuse claims against him were dropped.

The entertainer, whose home was raided during Operation Yewtree, appeared on Loose Women on Monday to discuss his experience.

Describing the moment that police arrived at his Surrey home back in April 2013, he said: “It’s unbelievable.

“You get a knock on the door, I was in my dressing gown making a cup of tea and 14 policemen came in my house, 14. I thought it’s Surprise Surprise.”

The 75-year-old went on to say that all of his diaries and videos were seized by police in the raid.

He told the panel: “Every diary I had, every video I had, and my videos are football, golf or some of the Palladium shows from when I was a kid - I like just seeing what I did then. They took all those.

Tarbuck went on to say that the ‘real’ thing that annoyed him was that the people who made the accusations against him were able to remain ‘anonymous’.

He said: “And the real thing that annoys me about it all is these people can remain anonymous. Now I don’t mind people saying he did this, he did that, I’ll face them face to face.”

The comedian, who was on bail for 11 months before the charges were dropped, claimed that he found out who his ‘real’ friends were during that time.

“You find, I’m going to get emotional now, you find out who your friends are, your real mates,” he said.

“People say, ‘I meant to write to you’, ‘Well why didn’t you?’ and those who did write, you go ‘spot on.'"

Tarbuck admitted that wife Pauline had stood by him throughout the process, as did his children.

“[She is] just a rock, total rock and the three kids,” he said.

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