Scottish comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli arrested and charged with non-recent sexual offences

A Scottish comedian and celebrity chef has been arrested and charged for ‘non-recent’ sexual offences.

Hardeep Singh Kohli is a popular face in Britain, having appeared in several television and radio programmes. Originally a BBC Scotland graduate trainee, he has presented a number of programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, UKTV and other broadcasters, winning Royal Television Society and Bafta awards for one children’s programme.

Kohli, 54, was reportedly accused of behaving in a “predatory” manner with women, according to a report by The Times last month.

Police Scotland said in a brief statement: “A 54-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with allegations of non-recent sexual offences.”

“He has been released on an undertaking to appear in court at a later date. A report of the circumstances has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

As per the newspaper article, multiple people have come forward with claims of harassment, unwelcome advances, and instances of physical contact involving the father of two children. Among these individuals is a disability advocate who asserted that Kohli engaged in inappropriate sexual conversations via phone and sent her a succession of messages that made her feel uneasy.

Kohli was born in London to Punjabi parents and moved to Glasgow at the age of four. He made his debut in the comedy scene at the Edinburgh fringe in 2009, captivating the audience with a solo performance that involved cooking curries right on stage.

In addition to his contributions as a newspaper columnist, notably for the Guardian, he achieved the second position in Celebrity MasterChef in 2006, losing out to Matt Dawson, and gained visibility by participating in Celebrity Big Brother in 2018.

He has consistently served as a radio presenter and show host, which includes overseeing a span of seven series for Radio 4 titled “Hardeep’s Sunday Lunch.” During this program, he embarked on journeys across the UK, preparing meals for individuals with extraordinary narratives.