Paedophile Rolf Harris has died aged 93

Convicted paedophile Rolf Harris has died, aged 93.

News of Harris' death has been confirmed by a registrar at Maidenhead Town Hall.

Harris was an Australian entertainer whose career spanned television, music and art, having risen to fame in the 1950s.

However, his name became marred with controversy after he was arrested as part of the Operation Yewtree police investigation, which was set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal.

Mark Thomas / Alamy Stock Photo

In June 2014, Harris was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at London’s Southwark Crown, including one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter and two on girls in their early teens, along with a catalogue of abuse against his daughter’s friend over 16 years.

Following his conviction, Harris was stripped of his CBE, which he had received after painting the Queen’s 80th birthday portrait.

In May 2017 he was formally cleared of four unconnected historical sex offences, which he had denied, and was released from prison that month after serving around three years of his sentence.

Later the same year, one of the 12 indecent assault convictions was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Harris had originally trained as a swimming teacher in his native Australia, but turned his hand to painting after being hit by a severe virus for several months.

ALAN EDWARDS / Alamy Stock Photo

He moved to the UK at the age of 21, finding fame in the BBC and ITV with shows including the Rolf Harris Show, Rolf’s Cartoon Club, teatime variety show Rolf on Saturday, OK?, and, later, Animal Hospital.

In 2002, he released an autobiography, Can You Tell What it is Yet? - the title being his well-known catchphrase

Harris was awarded a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 2006, having previously received an MBE and OBE, but was stripped of the honour in 2015 after he was convicted of assaulting young girls.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time: “The Queen has directed that the appointment of Rolf Harris to be a Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 17 June 2006, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order.”

Jess Hardiman

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman