Noel Clarke suspended by Bafta after 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying
British actor Noel Clarke accused of ‘exposing himself, secretly filming an actress’s naked audition and bragging about it, and shoving his tongue in mouth of teenager on Kidulthood set’ – as video emerges of star using microphone as lewd prop
- Bafta also suspended his outstanding British contribution to cinema award after allegations in The Guardian
- Director vehemently denied all the claims, calling them ‘false’, but apologised to colleagues who felt ‘uncomfortable or disrespected’
- Clarke, 45, made first TV appearance 20 years ago and starred in Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood
Bafta has suspended award-winning British director Noel Clarke’s membership after 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying between 2004 and 2019 as a lewd video of the star emerged using a microphone as a phallus on stage during a Doctor Who event.
The academy said in a statement it had also suspended his outstanding British contribution to cinema award, which he was handed earlier this month at the Royal Albert Hall, until further notice.
The actor and director, 45, who is married to former make-up artist Iris Da Silva with three children, wrote and starred in the acclaimed film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood as well as many TV hits including Doctor Who.
But he has been rocked by allegations by women that he has worked with that he is an alleged ‘sexual predator’, who claim he harassed, groped and bullied at work, which he denied in a statement from his lawyers. He said he ‘sincerely apologised’ to colleagues who felt ‘uncomfortable or disrespected’, but slammed claims of sexual misconduct or wrongdoing as ‘false allegations’.
As the allegations emerged, a video from 2019 surfaced online showing Clarke on stage during a Doctor Who Q&A where he joked about actor John Barrowman’s alleged proclivity for getting his penis out on set. Barrowman had apologised publicly after a similar incident on BBC Switch.
Clarke’s two female co-stars Annette Badland and Camille Coduri are seen as he uses microphone as a prop phallus, hitting them on their legs and even resting it on Camille’s shoulders, with viewers saying they were ‘squirming while watching’.
The sexual harassment claims were levelled against Clarke, best known for appearing in Doctor Who and for co-creating The Hood Trilogy, in The Guardian last night. Clarke vehemently denied the allegations in a statement to the newspaper, which claims it informed Bafta of the allegations by the 20 women 13 days before they handed him his outstanding contribution award on April 10.
Clarke’s agent and manager, both at 42M&P, said last night they no longer represent him.
The allegations emerged last night, just before his new crime drama Viewpoint was due to air on ITV. Noel, 45, plays main character DC Martin Young, but the broadcaster, which was said to be in crisis mode, resisted calls to pull it, despite a sex scene involving him at the end of the episode.
One viewer tweeted: ‘This should definitely have been pulled tonight and should be taken off itvplayer until this is settled’. Another wrote: ‘It featured a sex scene involving… him. Absolutely shouldn’t have been broadcast’.
Noel Clarke on stage with Camille Coduri during a Doctor Who event where he pretended a microphone was a penis on her shoulder in a film that emerged today as he was accused of abuse by 20 women, which he denies
Clarke’s other female co-star Annette Badland also got the same treatment with the microphone, on her arm and her leg
Bafta has suspended Noel Clarke’s membership following allegations of misconduct. The claims were levelled against Clarke in The Guardian. Pictured: the actor posing with the award for the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in London on April 10
The 45-year-old actor pictured in the five-part drama Viewpoint, which follows a tense police surveillance investigation into a tightknit Manchester community. The show went ahead on ITV last night despite the furore
Clarke pictured with his wife, former make-up artist Iris Da Silva, at the 70th EE British Academy Film Awards at Royal Albert Hall in February 2017
He said: ‘In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me.
‘If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise. I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations.’
One woman, who worked as a producer alongside Clarke between 2014 and 2017, alleged that the actor had secretly filmed a naked audition of another woman and bragged about it.
She also claimed Clarke exposed himself to her in a car before groping her in a lift the next day.
According to several accounts, Clarke showed colleagues sexually explicit photos and videos of women, or implied he had access to them. He was also accused of unsolicited sharing of sexually explicit images.
Other women have alleged that the actor would subject them to unwanted physical contact, which included kissing or groping.
Another, who as a teenager starred in Kidulthood, Clarke’s debut film, said one day near the start of filming he ‘put his tongue in my mouth’ and afterwards would constantly grab her and try to kiss her.
It is alleged that when Clarke heard about a newspaper investigation into the allegations, he attempted to contact several of his accusers.
Despite the claims, ITV last night aired the penultimate episode of Viewpoint, in which Clarke plays the lead. Clarke’s agent and manager, both at 42M&P, said last night they no longer represent him.
The statement from Bafta said: ‘In light of the allegations of serious misconduct regarding Noel Clarke in The Guardian, Bafta has taken the decision to suspend his membership and the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award immediately and until further notice.’
Management and production company 42 M&P said it stopped representing Clarke earlier this month.
A spokesman said: ‘Noel Clarke was a client of 42 M&P until April this year but the company no longer represents him.’
Clarke as Mickey and Billie Piper as Rose in a Christmas episode for BBC One’s Doctor Who
Clarke, pictured above, vehemently denied the allegations from all 20 women in a statement to the newspaper
Paul Ritter as Leonard Vance, Alex Kingston as Ruth Hattersley, Reece Shearsmith as DS Sean Stone and Clarke as DCI Carl Prior in the TV programme ‘Chasing Shadows’
Clarke as DC Martin Young in Viewpoint, which is a British ITV five-part drama. He co-founded his own production company, Unstoppable Entertainment, in 2007
He made his first TV appearance more than 20 years ago in the Channel 4 series Metrosexuality, and gained fame for his roles as Mickey Smith in Doctor Who and Wyman Norris in Auf Wiedershen, Pet.
He co-founded his own production company, Unstoppable Entertainment, in 2007, which has produced films including Jessica Hynes’ directorial debut The Fight, and 10×10, directed by Suzi Ewing and starring Luke Evans and Kelly Reilly.
In 2018, the company joined forces with All3Media and launched Unstoppable Film and Television to expand their remit to include television, which led to the launch of Sky One drama Bulletproof, in which he stars with Ashley Walters.
Clarke was first recognised by Bafta in 2009, when he won the Rising Star prize.
He accepted outstanding contribution award in early April. The gong is among Bafta’s highest prizes and is presented annually in honour of Michael Balcon, the British film producer known for his work with Ealing Studios.
Previous recipients include Andy Serkis and Ridley and Tony Scott.
Clarke starring as Charlie and Laura Haddock as Nikki in the British science fiction-horror film ‘Storage 24’, which was released in 2012
The claims were levelled against Clarke, 45, best known for appearing in Doctor Who and for co-creating The Hood Trilogy, in The Guardian
Clarke, pictured with Adam Deacon, wrote and starred in the acclaimed film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood, and directed two of them
