Rolf Harris has told a jury of his rise to stardom and even sang a part of one of his famous comedy songs as he gave evidence for the first time in his indecent assault trial.

Harris is charged with 12 counts of indecent assault against four girls and young women between 1968 and 1986, many of whom say they were too intimidated by his fame to go to the police.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Harris's defence counsel Sonia Woodley QC began by asking the defendant about his biography.

As he recounted his early hits and television successes, an animated Harris brought smiles to the court with his anecdotes, a rendition of part of the song Jake the Peg and an impersonation of the sound of his famous wobble board.

At one point the 84-year-old apologised for "waxing a little lyrical" with his answers.

Harris was then asked about a holiday to Hawaii and Australia in 1978 during which one of the complainants says he began abusing her when she was 13.

Ms Woodley: "She says that when she came out of the shower, you were there and you assaulted her. Did it happen?" Harris: "No, didn't happen." Ms Woodley: "She said that you hugged her and she found it creepy. Have you hugged her?" Harris: "Yes I have. I'm a very touchy feely sort of person."

Harris also denied sexually assaulting the girl on a beach, within metres of his sunbathing wife and daughter.

Jury hears Harris thought there had been 'sexual chemistry'

Harris then spoke of the point at which he says a relationship began, around the time the complainant was 18 years old.

He said she initiated it when he took in a cup of tea to her one morning when she was staying at his house. He said it was "flattering".

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 3 minutes 3 seconds 3 m 3 s Rolf Harris begins his defence with rendition of Jake the Peg Download 1.4 MB

"It seemed she was being flirtatious with me and it was a flattering thing to have this young lady suddenly showing an interest in me," Harris said.

"She seemed to be suddenly interested in me in a completely different way."

He then went on to describe a number of sexual encounters they had over the course of the next decade, describing this as contact initiated by the complainant, a former friend of his daughter.

Harris: "She seemed very, very flirtatious and coquettish - looking at me with some sort of sexual chemistry." Ms Woodley: "Would you have touched her ... if you had thought she didn't want you to?" Harris: "No. It seemed to be an invitation."

He also admitted having another extra-marital affair with a woman who was staying at his home.

He said his wife had been devastated when she found out about it.

Harris told the jury he found it hard to discuss his affair.

"It's highly embarrassing ... I was a married man and I shouldn't have been doing it," he said.

It was a long day in the witness box for the 84-year-old, whose voice sounded hoarse in the beginning and became quiet by the end of the day.

The jury at London's Southwark Crown Court has previously heard that Harris, known to millions in Britain and Australia as a mainstay of family entertainment, was a Jekyll and Hyde figure who gained the trust of children before repeatedly abusing them.

Harris said he had no recollection of the other complainants in the case, or simply was not there when the assaults are alleged to have taken place.

Prosecutor Sasha Wass QC said Harris had a "dark side" that was sexually attracted to girls, and that he groomed one of his victims "like a pet".

When Harris returns to court he will face cross-examination.

ABC/Reuters