Noel Clarke suspended by Bafta after 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying

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.

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 harassed, groped and bullied at work.

The claims were levelled against Clarke, 45, 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.

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’. 

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

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.’

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