Rolf Harris has been dropped from his Animal Clinic TV series within days of being arrested again over allegations of sexual offences.

The veteran presenter will not return when the programme comes back and he will be replaced by Ben Fogle.

Harris, 83, was arrested for a second time earlier this week after answering police bail and learning he faced additional claims. He was arrested in March by detectives from Operation Yewtree, the national investigation launched in the wake of abuse claims made against disgraced television presenter Jimmy Savile.

Harris was interviewed under caution on November 29, five days after a search warrant was executed at his home. He was only publicly named as a Yewtree suspect in April and his programme was pulled from the schedules.

Confirming the new series will be hosted by adventurer Ben, a Channel 5 spokesman said: “No other presenter was ever contracted to do the second series.”

Scotland Yard did not name Harris following his re-arrest, but released a statement which said a man had been “further arrested on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with further allegations”.

He has been released on bail to a date later this month.

Australian entertainer Harris was well known for his Animal Hospital series for the BBC which ran for a decade until 2004. Channel 5 announced a year ago that it had lined up the presenter for its own animal series.