Police search home of TV weatherman Fred Talbot

[Zaune]

The Guardian

Police have searched the home of TV weatherman Fred Talbot as part of an investigation into allegations of historic sexual abuse at schools in the north west.

The 63-year-old is a former biology teacher at Altrincham Grammar School. Greater Manchester police have received a number of complaints made against staff who worked at the school in the 1970s.

Talbot is best known as the weather forecaster in the 80s and 90s on ITV's This Morning, presenting from a floating map in Liverpool's Albert Dock while frequently wearing garish multi-coloured jumpers.

He still works for Granada Reports, ITV's regional news programme for the North West and Isle of Man, and was on a cruise heading to the Caribbean when police exercised warrants to search his house.

"Left Madeira at 6 last night," he tweeted on 10 December, the day before the police search. "Now have six days at sea without seeing any land. Night sky amazing out here in Atlantic."

A number of electrical items, including two computers, as well as video and journals were seized in the search, Greater Manchester police said.

Police added that their investigation was prompted following media reports of another probe into historic sexual abuse at a Catholic boys' school in Altrincham.

"Following the publicity into the ongoing investigation in St Ambrose RC College, we received other reports of sexual abuse that is alleged to have occurred while the victims were pupils at the grammar school," said Mark Roberts, chief superintendent at Greater Manchester police. "While I must stress that once again these relate to historic allegations it is incumbent on us to thoroughly and robustly investigate this matter.

"We currently have a dedicated phone line for anyone wanting to report any incidents in relation to these two ongoing but separate investigations and I would urge anyone with any information or who wishes to report any incidents to contact us in absolute confidence."

The alleged offences currently under investigation did not occur within school grounds but allegedly involved a member of staff at that time, a spokesman for the police said in a statement. Three of the complaints were received prior to the publication of the story about the raid in the Sun on Friday, about two more have been received since then.

A police spokesman said that some of the complaints were "third hand".

Talbot's agent Dave Warwick said that he was unaware of the raid until informed by the Sun on Thursday and that police had not contacted him. He said he has texted and emailed Talbot but as he is on a cruise he has not yet had a reply.

Well, that's just bloody marvellous. He used to be the only good part of This Morning. Who next, Orville the Duck? Timmy Mallet?