Noel Clarke has been suspended by BAFTA after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him by 20 women.
Noel Clarke
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts have moved to suspend the membership of the 45-year-old actor – who has starred in the likes of ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Kidulthood’ – after a piece published in The Guardian newspaper revealed several women had accused him of harassment.
The Guardian article claimed the women had accused Clarke of a range of inappropriate activities, including sexual harassment, unwanted touching or groping, sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments on set, professional misconduct, taking and sharing sexually explicit pictures and videos without consent, and bullying between 2004 and 2019.
And following the allegations, BAFTA said in a statement: “In light of the allegations of serious misconduct regarding Noel Clarke in The Guardian this evening, BAFTA has taken the decision to suspend his membership and the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award immediately and until further notice.”
Earlier this month, Clarke received BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award, but this accolade has also been suspended.
Meanwhile, the actor has “vehemently denied” any wrongdoing.
In his own statement to The Guardian, 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.”
The Guardian also reports Clarke categorically denied every allegation made against him with the exception of one, where he admitted he once made inappropriate comments about one woman, for which he later apologised.
According to the publication, his lawyers wrote a 29-page letter in which they said Clarke denies all of the other allegations from all 20 women.
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