A detective investigating TV presenter Matthew Kelly over child abuse allegations is to travel to Sri Lanka, Surrey Police have said.

The policeman is expected to go to the capital, Colombo, to be shown material taken from Mr Kelly's holiday home in Sri Lanka, including his computer and dozens of videos.

Mr Kelly, 52, of Chiswick, west London, was arrested in the UK on 15 January in connection with allegations of sexual abuse against boys under 16 in the 1970s.

The Stars in Their Eyes presenter was bailed to return to Guildford police station on 12 March.

Mr Kelly has not been charged with anything and emphatically denies the allegations.

Celebrity support

Famous friends of the star have publicly given him their backing following his arrest.

Julie Walters, Alan Rickman and Pete Postlethwaite are among actors who signed an open letter declaring their support.

Mr Kelly was arrested as part of the sex abuse inquiry that led to the conviction of pop mogul Jonathan King.

King was jailed for seven years in November 2001 after he was found guilty of four indecent assaults and two serious sexual offences against boys, carried out in the 1980s.

He was also registered as a sex offender and banned from working with children.

The police have denied they were carrying out a celebrity witch-hunt, amid reports other famous people were being investigated.

Ongoing inquiry

Surrey Police insisted their investigation was focused on specific allegations and was not a "wide-ranging trawl into the showbusiness world".

A spokesman added that the recent arrests were not part of Operation Ore, the investigation into users of a US child pornography website.

It is believed the accusations all date from the 1970s, and that the inquiry has been ongoing for several months.

Mr Kelly had been appearing as Captain Hook in a production of Peter Pan, but the theatre is continuing the show without him.

The star - who is married with two grown-up children - has also appeared recently in a touring production of Of Mice and Men.

Mr Kelly is being replaced by Davina McCall as host of three forthcoming Stars In Their Eyes celebrity specials for ITV1.