Michael Barrymore was being questioned at an Essex police station today after being arrested on suspicion of the murder of Stuart Lubbock, who was found dead at the side of the entertainer’s swimming pool in 2001.

Barrymore, 55, was arrested at an address in London at 9am today and driven to the station at lunchtime. It is expected he will be kept in overnight.

Barrymore’s former lover, Jonathan Kenney, 37, was arrested at the same time in the North East of England and Justin Merritt, 32, a dustman from Harlow, Essex, was picked up by officers in the Midlands. All three have been brought to Essex by police.

The arrests come after a review of the death of Mr Lubbock was carried out last year.

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BACKGROUND

• Timeline: the body by Barrymore's pool

• Focus: Return of the freakshow

• Cover story: Michael Barrymore: That joker isn't funny any more

• Barrymore case pathologist faces 'flaws' inquiry

• Barrymore death case reopened

Related Links

• Timeline: the body by Barrymore's pool

• Timeline: the body by Barrymore's pool

• New probe of Barrymore death inquiry

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “We had a review done last year as a matter of routine looking at all unexplained cases and that has resulted in the action today.

“The officers would have to have grounds to arrest someone. The review will have gone over all the statements and every piece of forensic evidence and would have identified any new forensic opportunity, if there are any.”

Mr Lubbock, a butcher, was found at his Barrymore's home in Roydon, early on March 31 2001. His father, Terry, 62, of Harlow, said today: “I am really pleased. It feels like it is the end of a long struggle.” He said he did not know what new evidence police had.

Mr Lubbock’s brother, Kevin, 39, also of Harlow, added: “I am really happy this has all come to light. It’s been a long time... I am a bit numb.”

Post-mortem tests showed that he had suffered severe internal injuries that suggested sexual assault. Alcohol, Ecstasy and cocaine were found in his blood.

It is the second time that Barrymore has been arrested in connection with the death.

Three months after Mr Lubbock’s death, Barrymore was arrested on suspicion of possessing class A and class B drugs, as well as other drugs offences.

Two other men arrested at the same time, one from Blackpool and another from Harlow, Essex, were arrested on suspicion of murdering Mr Lubbock.

In October 2001, Barrymore accepted an official caution for drugs offences and allowing his home to be used for smoking cannabis. The other men were released without charge.

Nevertheless, the case has continued to haunt the entertainer, who left the UK for New Zealand in late 2003.

Barrymore’s former agent Karen Kay, who is in Auckland, New Zealand, said that the entertainer returned to the UK one month ago. She said Barrymore left New Zealand because he was homesick.

Ms Kay said she was sorry to hear Barrymore had been arrested. She said: “He left a month ago to come back to England. He wanted to go back home.”

Since returning to the UK, Barrymore has been mixing in London showbusiness circles again. Last week he attended the final of search-for-a-star show Joseph with life coach Carole Caplin. She declined to comment today.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said earlier this year that it had decided to investigate aspects of the inquiry after receiving complaints from the family of Mr Lubbock.

Tony Bennett, the Lubbock family solicitor, said that he had complained about information that Essex Police gave to a coroner and pathologists after Lubbock's death.

The commission said that the investigation into the complaint would be carried out by another force.

No one was charged in connection with Lubbock's death and an open verdict was recorded at an inquest.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said today that is had put on hold its inquiry into complaints from the family, arising from the Essex Police investigation into the death of Mr Stuart Lubbock following the arrests.

David Petch, the IPCC Commissioner, will keep the decision to halt the independent inquiry under review.

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