Noel Clarke faces police probe after seven more women come forward
Bafta star Noel Clarke faces police probe after seven more women come forward accusing him of a campaign of sexual harassment and bullying
- Noel Clarke is facing the prospect of a police investigation after seven more women came forward
- 27 women now claim they were sexually harassed or groped by the celebrity actor, Scotland Yard said
- Met confirmed ‘third-party report’ was made on April 21 but that no criminal investigation has been launched
Noel Clarke is facing the prospect of a police investigation after seven more women came forward to accuse the Bafta star of a campaign of sexual harassment and bullying.
With 27 women now saying they were sexually harassed or groped by the celebrated actor and director, Scotland Yard has said it is ‘assessing’ a specific allegation.
The Met Police confirmed that a ‘third-party report’ was made on April 21 ‘relating to allegations of sexual offences committed by a male over a period of time’.
A third party report is when claims are made to an organisation separate from the police. This type of report is anonymous and means the claims cannot be probed by officers but can be used as intelligence.
A spokesman said no criminal investigation had been launched but that officers are ‘currently assessing the information’.
They added: ‘We would urge anyone who believes they have been subjected to a sexual offence to report this to police so the information can be assessed and investigated accordingly.’
Meanwhile, it was reported that Bafta spent two weeks deciding how best to respond to allegations against Clarke prior to presenting him with one of its highest honours, the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award.
The father-of-three was suspended from Bafta following the allegations, while Sky took the decision to ‘halt’ filming of the latest series of his east London crime drama Bulletproof.
It came as:
- The BBC became the latest broadcaster to sever links with the 45-year-old actor;
- One co-star described his behaviour as the ‘best kept secret’ in the British film industry;
- Details emerged of Clarke encouraging a class of drama students to ‘get undressed and get ready for bed’;
- Bafta chiefs voiced fears that the fall-out from giving a prestigious award to Clarke could ‘destroy’ the organisation;
- The British Film Institute, which was involved in funding some of Clarke’s projects, said it was ‘extremely concerned’ about the allegations.
Noel Clarke (pictured during the British Academy Film Awards in 2021) is facing the prospect of a police investigation after seven more women came forward to accuse the Bafta star of a campaign of sexual harassment and bullying
ACCUSATIONS: Jahannah James, pictured right, with Noel Clarke, has spoken out against the actor
Christina Chong (pictured), who appeared opposite Clarke in the first series of police drama Bulletproof, posted on Twitter: ‘If in doubt, trust me, it’s true… He’s a sexual predator’
Chong and Dhillon are seen alongside Clarke in a still from the Sky One drama Bulletproof. Twenty women who knew Clarke in a professional capacity have accused the Kidulthood and Doctor Who actor, 45, of sexual harassment and bullying
Sharing the Guardian article to Twitter, Chong alleged the claims are have been ‘UK film industry’s best kept secret for years!
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
Noel Clarke told one of his accusers to ‘get your f**** out and pee’ on his friend during prank that left her in tears
Clarke asks: ‘What are you crying for?’, while Jahannah is left visibly upset by the prank
Noel Clarke told one of his accusers to ‘get your f**** out and pee’ on his friend during a prank that left her in tears.
Footage has emerged of Clarke, 45, and fellow cast member Jason Maza pulling a cruel joke on Jahannah James, leaving her visibly upset.
Jason drinks a cocktail provided to him by Jahannah, before pretending to suffer from an allergic reaction to citrus fruit, saying he doesn’t feel well and dropping to the ground.
Clarke then fakes a phone call to 999, asking whether Jason has to ‘swallow some of the ammonia to soothe it’, telling Jahannah: ‘Just take your f**** out and pee on him, what’s wrong with you?’
The actor came up with the stunt after hearing through the Brotherhood actress’ producers that she was planning her own prank on the pair.
Jahannah, a star in Clarke’s hit movie Brotherhood, is one of his alleged victims named by the newspaper, claiming she was secretly filmed doing a naked audition that was so upsetting she still cries ‘years later’.
Clarke, a married father of three, has vehemently denied claims by women who accuse him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying between 2004 and 2019.
They claim he told them to strip off for auditions and forced them into filming nude scenes with him, as well as making unwanted advances and lewd remarks.
New details emerged yesterday of unscheduled acting workshops held by Clarke at the London School of Dramatic Art.
Jake Taylor, the school’s principal, said Clarke joined the board in 2011 in an advisory role and would hold question-and-answer sessions for students. He added: ‘It came to our attention that on one occasion he took it upon himself to turn one of these Q&A sessions into a practical acting workshop.
‘We were informed that in this unsanctioned class he set up improvisation exercises in which students were told they had to get undressed and get ready for bed.
‘Our response was to no longer schedule Noel to take unsupervised sessions with immediate effect.’
In a statement, Mr Taylor said that fresh details in recent days about the session and another previously unknown workshop by Clarke ‘has shocked us’.
‘Had we known about these details at the time we would have ended the professional relationship between Noel and our school with immediate effect,’ he added.
Clarke’s lawyers have denied that the London School of Dramatic Arts asked him to stop giving classes – saying that Clarke’s workshop, called FacingYour Fears was aimed at helping students with anxieties over performing as actors.
Meanwhile, one of Clarke’s co-stars has described the allegations against him as the ‘UK film industry’s best kept secret for years’. Christina Chong, who appeared opposite Clarke in the first series of police drama Bulletproof, posted on Twitter: ‘If in doubt, trust me, it’s true… He’s a sexual predator.’
Actress Jahannah James, who appeared in the film Brotherhood, which was directed by and starred Clarke, says she was forced to audition nude for him in 2013, and claims she later discovered he had covertly filmed it.
Clarke’s Kidulthood co-star Jaime Winstone also broke her silence to throw her support behind the disgraced actor’s accusers in a poignant Time’s Up post.
The actress, 35, who appeared opposite the actor in the 2006 film as Becky, shared the image on Instagram alongside a caption saying: ‘When you’re late to the party but you’ve been on the list for 15 years.’
Earlier, Bulletproof actor Ashley Walters said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the allegations made against Clarke in a lengthy statement posted to Twitter.
He added: ‘My thoughts are with the women who have come forward and told their awful stories, I am in shock and deeply saddened by what I have heard on a multitude of levels.
‘I could never condone behaviour of this nature in nor out of the workplace, and whilst Noel has been a friend and colleague for several years, I cannot stand by and ignore this allegations.
‘Sexual harassment, abuse, and bullying have no place in our industry.
‘Every woman has the right to a safe workplace and moving forward I pledge my dedication to this.’
Walters has starred as Ronnie Pike in all three seasons of Bulletproof, an east London crime drama, but filming on the fourth season has now been halted by Sky in light of the allegations.
Clarke denies the claims.
The allegations have surfaced after Clarke received an ‘outstanding contribution’ award from Bafta last month in recognition of his glittering career writing, directing and starring in critically acclaimed films such as Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood. He also starred as Mickey Smith in Doctor Who between 2005 and 2010.
The Guardian newspaper reported that three senior industry figures had tipped off Bafta about the claims almost two weeks before the ceremony.
Actress Ms James – a star in one of Clarke’s hit movies, Brotherhood – is one of his alleged victims named in the Guardian, claiming she was secretly filmed doing a naked audition that was so upsetting she still cries ‘years later’
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
Clarke as Mickey and Billie Piper as Rose in a Christmas episode for BBC One’s Doctor Who
In a statement, Bafta claimed it had acted ‘as quickly and supportively as we could, even though we had only received the most generic of claims and no actual first-hand information to investigate allegations which were potentially of a criminal nature’.
The Guardian said senior figures within the film academy were worried about the potential reputational damage to the organisation over its handling of the claims against Clarke.
Bafta chair Krishnendu Majumdar was reportedly aware there could be as many as 12 women making allegations against Clarke on the eve of the awards ceremony.
He sought to speak to anyone with first-hand experience of Clarke’s alleged misconduct and told an industry figure he was ‘trying to do something about’ the situation as it could ‘destroy’ Bafta ‘in the court of public opinion’, the newspaper said.
Majumdar is said to have described the allegations as a ‘desperately difficult situation for us’ as Bafta ‘cannot act as judge and jury’.
He also hosted a Zoom call with figures including Bafta chief executive Amanda Berry to discuss how to respond to the allegations, The Guardian said. Bafta has said it will not comment on the latest claims in The Guardian.
However, some suggested the allegations had become a witch-hunt, which undermined the principle of innocent until proven guilty.
One leading British actress told this newspaper: ‘It is an hysterical, prurient, over-reaction – all-too typical of the witch-burning climate we live in since the mobs on social media began to dictate the rule of law.’
She added: ‘The rule of law applies. Clarke denies all charges and has not yet been proved guilty.
‘When you ‘no platform’ an entire production because of an alleged crime, you are punishing hundreds of innocent creatives for the as-yet- unproven misdemeanours of one member. Writer, actors, crews and the public lose their rights.’
Clarke has said he’s ‘deeply sorry’ for some of his actions.
He added: ‘I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. Recent reports, however, have made it clear to me that some of my actions have affected people in ways I did not intend or realise. To those individuals, I am deeply sorry. I will be seeking professional help to educate myself and change for the better.’
Now Mandeep Dhillon joins list of actors queuing up to condemn him
By Chris Hastings for the Mail on Sunday
One of Noel Clarke’s co-stars has referred on social media to the emergence of allegations against him, saying: ‘About f****** time.’
Mandeep Dhillon, one of the main cast members in the first series of his police drama Bulletproof, was among several colleagues to comment on the revelations.
His Viewpoint co-star Alexandra Roach tweeted that she ‘sees, hears and believes’ the alleged victims, adding: ‘Thank you to the women for your incredible bravery in coming forward.’
Earlier, Bulletproof star and co-writer Ashley Walters said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the claims against Clarke, but could not ignore them.
Mandeep Dhillon (pictured), one of the main cast members in the first series of his police drama Bulletproof, was among several colleagues to comment on the revelations
Alexandra Roach, who stars alongside the actor in ITV’s Viewpoint, said she ‘sees, hears and believes’ the women making the accusations
Clarke’s Kidulthood co-star Jaime Winstone also broke her silence to throw her support behind the disgraced actor’s accusers in a poignant Time’s Up post
He wrote on social media: ‘My thoughts are with the women who have come forward and told their awful stories.
‘I could never condone behaviour of this nature neither in nor out of the workplace, and whilst Noel has been a friend and colleague for several years, I cannot stand by and ignore these allegations. Sexual harassment, abuse and bullying have no place in our industry.
‘Every woman has the right to a safe workplace and moving forward I pledge my dedication to this.’
Jaime Winstone, who featured in Clarke’s breakthrough film Kidulthood, which came out in 2006, went on to Instagram to share the logo for Time’s Up, the movement founded amid the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which supports victims of sexual harassment.
‘Time’s Up’: Noel Clarke’s Kidulthood co-star Jaime Winstone breaks her silence on disgraced actor’s sexual harassment scandal – as she shows support for accusers in poignant post
Speaking out: Noel Clarke’s Kidulthood co-star Jaime Winstone has broken her silence to throw her support behind the actor’s accusers in a poignant Time’s Up post (pictured in 2007)
Noel Clarke’s Kidulthood co-star Jaime Winstone has broken her silence to throw her support behind the disgraced actor’s accusers in a poignant Time’s Up post.
The actress, 35, who appeared opposite the actor in the 2006 film as Becky, shared the image on Instagram alongside a caption saying: ‘When you’re late to the party but you’ve been on the list for 15 years.’
Jaime shared the image of the Time’s Up movement, which rose to prominence in 2018 as an initiative formed by 300 female Hollywood actors, executives, writers and directors to ‘counter systemic sexual harassment in the entertainment business’.
Jaime, the daughter of actor Ray Winstone, is among several stars who have openly shared their support for Noel’s accusers, with the actress Michaela Coel penning a lengthy post after the claims were revealed.
She said: ‘I am here to offer great support for the 20 brave women who have come forward; those who have shared their identities with us, but also those who have preferred to use an alias; the mental hurdles a black woman must overcome to do such a thing as reveal their identity within a narrative of rape abuse or bullying at the hands of someone within our community can sometimes be too much.’
Michaela then added: ‘Speaking out about these incidents takes a lot of strength because some call them ‘grey areas’. They are however far from grey. These behaviours are unprofessional, violent, and can destroy a person’s perception of themselves, their place in the world and their career irreparably.
‘I have shared to show solidarity, to express my belief in them, and to stand with them in their indignation.’
Noel Clarke ‘encouraged students at London drama school to remove their clothes during improvisation workshops’
By Raven Saunt For Mailonline
Noel Clarke encouraged drama school students to remove their clothes during improvisation workshops, it has been claimed.
Twenty women who knew Clarke in a professional capacity accused the Kidulthood and Doctor Who actor of sexual harassment and bullying in a series of shocking claims published by The Guardian on Thursday.
Six more people have now come forward with further allegations of misconduct against the 45-year-old, including former students at the London School of Dramatic Art.
It was reported that Clarke encouraged students to remove their clothes during improvisation workshops, titled Facing Your Fears, before the school’s founder Jake Taylor was alerted.
Clarke denied the LDSA allegations through his lawyers.
Noel Clarke, 45, (pictured) encouraged drama school students to remove their clothes during improvisation workshops, it has been claimed
Mr Taylor told the publication that after being told about the alleged conduct he said he swiftly ‘stopped [Clarke] doing the classes’.
‘Nobody should ever be asked to take their clothes off by a member of staff, or anybody,’ he added.
Clarke’s lawyers also denied that the school had ever asked him to stop giving classes, according to The Guardian, adding that the exercise was designed to relax students’ anxieties and ‘normalise’ removing clothes in a safe environment.
They added that participation for the male and female adult students was not compulsory.
Clarke yesterday apologised ‘deeply’ for his actions and said he will be seeking professional help but has ‘vehemently’ denied sexual misconduct or criminal behaviour.
Six more people have now come forward with allegations of misconduct against the 45-year-old including former students at the London School of Dramatic Art (pictured)
The actor and producer, who is married to make-up artist Iris Da Silva, said it has become clear to him that ‘some of my actions have affected people in ways I did not intend or realise’, and offered an apology to those affected.
His comments came amid reports that Bafta spent two weeks deciding how best to respond to allegations against Clarke prior to presenting him with one of its highest honours, the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award.
The father-of-three was suspended from Bafta following the allegations and Sky took the decision to ‘halt’ filming of the latest series of his east London crime drama Bulletproof.
Many of Clarke’s female costars, including Alexandra Roach, have since claimed he is a ‘sexual predator’ and said the raft of sexual harassment and bullying allegations against him are the British film industry’s ‘best kept secret’.
‘Karma’: Noel Clarke’s Kidulthood co-star Adam Deacon takes to social media in wake of sex allegations after the pair fell out in row over film copyright
By Ross Ibbetson For MailOnline
A former co-star of Noel Clarke has posted a message about ‘karma’ after the Kidulthood director was accused of sexual harassment and bullying by 20 women.
Adam Deacon fell out with Clarke when the Bafta award-winning star claimed that Deacon had ‘infringed on copyright’ by calling his 2010 spoof film Anuvahood.
Clarke, 45, went onto accuse Deacon of waging an online trolling campaign against him, claiming at the 2015 trial that the 38-year-old had made death threats.
Deacon was found guilty of harassment without violence, banned from contacting Clarke and ordered to pay £500.
Last night, he posted a message on Instagram which said: ‘Karma. No need for revenge. Just sit back and wait. Those who hurt you eventually screw up themselves and if you are lucky, god will let you watch.’
Noel Clarke and Adam Deacon appearing in Adulthood together, released in 2008
Last night, Deacon posted a message on Instagram which said: ‘Karma. No need for revenge. Just sit back and wait. Those who hurt you eventually screw up themselves and if you are lucky, god will let you watch’
Clarke had set in motion Deacon’s acting career, picking him to star in Kidulthood, released in 2006, and Adulthood, which came out two years later.
When Deacon later decided to make a spin-off, Clarke supported him but insisted he not use the name Anuvahood.
Deacon made the movie and won a Bafta for it, but the pair ended up at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court in 2015 as their row escalated, with Clarke accusing him of harassment.
Deacon denied the allegation, claiming instead the Clarke was trying to sabotage his career.
In one message to Clarke, Deacon had sent a picture of his former co-star’s children with a gun emoji pasted onto it.
‘It is a death threat isn’t it, really? If we are being honest,’ Clarke told the court in 2015.
Clarke said: ‘I supported him with that [contract] as long as he didn’t call that film Anuvahood which is what he did.
‘Since that point we haven’t spoken every now and again I would receive a barrage of abuse but essentially nothing massive happened until 2014 when I started getting massive abuse every time I opened my [Twitter] account to see people calling me a bully.
‘He released a barrage of abuse in a blog for on Instagram claiming I’d been bullying him for as long as he could remember and claiming I had stopped him getting an agent in the business.
‘None of these things were true in any way, shape or form, but things just continued from there.
‘Many of his fans believed the lies and were abusing me via Twitter.’
Deacon’s lawyer argued that he was ‘profoundly ill’ and suffering a ‘full mental breakdown’ at the time of the abuse.
He had used ‘skunk cannabis as a form of self medication,’ the lawyer said.
On Thursday night, The Guardian reported that 20 women were accusing Clarke of a range of sexual misconduct, which included sharing naked photos without their consent.
Clarke yesterday apologised ‘deeply’ for his actions and said he will be seeking professional help, but has ‘vehemently’ denied sexual misconduct or criminal behaviour.
The actor and producer, who is married to make-up artist Iris Da Silva, said it has become clear to him that ‘some of my actions have affected people in ways I did not intend or realise’, and offered an apology to those affected.
His comments came amid reports that Bafta spent two weeks deciding how best to respond to allegations against Clarke prior to presenting him with one of its highest honours, the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award.
The father-of-three was suspended from Bafta following the allegations, while Sky took the decision to ‘halt’ filming of the latest series of his east London crime drama Bulletproof.
TV industry cuts ties with Noel Clarke: BBC joins Sky and ITV in turning back on star amid sexual misconduct allegations
By Chris Hastings for the Mail on Sunday
Embattled Noel Clarke stood increasingly alone last night as the entertainment industry turned its back on him.
The BBC became the latest broadcaster to distance itself from the controversial star, with a spokesman saying: ‘We will not be progressing any projects with Noel Clarke at this time.’
Bosses at ITV had already pulled the final instalment of police drama Viewpoint from its Friday night schedule because of Clarke’s starring role, although it is available online at ITV Hub until tonight when it will be removed. Viewing figures for the episode were unavailable.
Meanwhile, Sky has ‘halted’ filming on the latest series of Clarke’s crime drama Bulletproof.
Last night, the British Film Institute – which was involved in the funding of some of Clarke’s projects – said it was ‘extremely concerned about the recent allegations’ and ‘deeply sorry for anyone affected by such behaviour’.
The statement added: ‘Everyone has the right to feel safe at work, and allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment must be taken extremely seriously. This alleged behaviour should not be tolerated. Our workforce must be enabled to report incidents and feel confident that guidance and policies are being put into practice.’
‘We recognise it can be extremely difficult . . . to come forward and the pressure and burden that brings on individuals, so this is why it is so important for employers to take the lead and invest in preventative measures and effective support.’
‘We cannot act as judge and jury on this’: BAFTA chief warned bosses could ‘ruin an innocent man’s career’ if they suspended Noel Clarke over sexual abuse allegations without evidence
Noel Clarke: The Rags to riches Kidulthood star from Ladbrooke Grove who had ‘no choice’ but to write his own roles after realising he’d never land the jobs he wanted as a black actor
From 2006-2016 Noel wrote, directed and starred in the trilogy of films Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood
Noel Clarke always felt an outsider in the British film industry, claiming he wasn’t ever welcomed.
But just last month he was welcomed by Bafta and handed a Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in London on April 10.
Clarke lives in the capital with his wife, former make-up artist Iris Da Silva, and their three children with an estimated fortune of £3million.
Noel rose to fame with the The Hood Trilogy, semi-biographical films about life in West London where he grew up.
He said recently that he had to write his own roles after realising he’d never land the jobs he wanted as a black actor
From 2006-2016 Noel wrote, directed and starred in the acclaimed trilogy of films Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood.
The well-received movies follow a group of teenagers as they navigate life outside the law in Ladbroke Grove, West London.
Noel told Interview magazine: ‘I grew up in Ladbroke Grove… which sounds really glamorous now, but at the time it wasn’t very glamorous.’
‘In the ’60s and late ’50s, it was a place where they shoved a lot of the black people that were coming over.’
And, in 2007, Noel set up his own production company Unstoppable Entertainment to try and promote more diversity in the film and TV industry.
He started the venture with his fellow actor Jason Maza, 33, who he later collaborated with on the next series he wrote – Bulletproof, which starred himself and Ashley Walters.
The pair originally struggled to get the show commissioned and Noel told Sky News at the time he didn’t ‘think the country was ready’ for their positive depiction of two black lead characters.
Noel recently accepted his BAFTA Award after being praised for his TV show Bulletproof and the film series Kidulthood which sees black working class characters take centre stage.
The former Doctor Who star’s prize came after he received the Rising Star Award in 2009.
Despite his huge success, with his ITV series Viewpoint set to begin later this month, Noel said he still feels like an outsider in the industry.
By Michael Powell and Chris Hastings for the Mail on Sunday
The chairman of Bafta feared that giving an award to Noel Clarke could ‘destroy’ the organisation, it emerged yesterday.
Senior figures had been tipped off about Clarke’s alleged behaviour, but decided to go ahead with the April 10 ceremony in the absence of direct evidence from victims.
Bafta first learned of the allegations on March 29 when award-winning film director Sally El Hosaini, talent manager Pelumi Akindude and Bafta-winning actor James Krishna Floyd wrote a joint letter to the organisation’s chiefs.
According to the Guardian, the letter said they were ‘extremely concerned’ about its intention to give Clarke the award given the first-hand accounts they had heard.
While Bafta chairman Krishnendu Majumdar acknowledged that the issues raised were ‘extremely serious’, he said it was a ‘difficult situation’ to deal with without detailed evidence – adding: ‘We cannot act as judge and jury on this.’
Bafta’s lawyers advised the board that the scant information it had received so far did not warrant suspending the award. They also reportedly questioned whether the organisation, which is a charity, had a legal duty to investigate such matters.
By the evening of April 9, less than 24 hours before Clarke was due to he honoured, Bafta’s leaders were in turmoil.
Mr Majumdar called Ms El Hosaini at 9.30pm and repeated an earlier request to speak directly to alleged victims.
He said he had heard there could be as many as 12 women making allegations against Clarke, but he needed to hear it for himself before pulling the award.
‘We could be ruining an innocent man’s career,’ he warned.
Mr Majumdar called Mr Krishna Floyd at 10pm the same evening and said: ‘People will say, ‘Bafta knew [about the allegations], and didn’t do anything about it.’
‘We’ve been trying to do something about it. In the court of public opinion we are going to be . . . this will destroy us.’
Last night, a senior Bafta member told The Mail on Sunday how the academy spent two weeks wrestling with how to respond to the allegations.
‘If you don’t go ahead and it’s all planned, you are assuming the person is guilty,’ they said.
‘I don’t know what you do in those circumstances. It’s a very difficult thing.’
Bafta did not suspend Clarke’s award until last Thursday at 8pm, after The Guardian revealed 20 women had accused him of sexual harassment, groping, misconduct and bullying.
The actor categorically denied virtually all the allegations.
In a statement, Bafta claimed it had acted ‘as quickly and supportively as we could’, adding: ‘No first-hand allegations were sent to us.
‘No names, times, dates, productions or other details were ever provided. Had the victims gone on record as they have with The Guardian, the award would have been suspended immediately.’
Bafta bosses are reportedly now considering introducing vetting checks for nominees of its highest honours.
A spokeswoman said the organisation was ‘reviewing’ procedures, but added it was too soon to say what that might look like.
