Noel Clarke Accused of Sexual Harassment on Set of ‘Doctor Who’
Noel Clarke faces a fresh accusation of sexual harassment involving the British actor’s time on Doctor Who.
The Bulletproof star has been at the center of controversy over the past week following The Guardian‘s exposé that included accounts from 20 women accusing Clarke of groping, sexual misconduct and bullying.
The news led to BAFTA stripping Clarke of his recent award for outstanding British contribution to cinema, as well as the U.K.’s ITV network dropping the finale of Viewpoint, a drama series in which he starred.
New sources have now come forward that allege the Adulthood director behaved sexually inappropriate while on the set of Doctor Who. Clarke played Rose Tyler’s (Billie Piper) boyfriend Mickey Smith in the sci-fi series from 2005-06, with sporadic guest appearances in later seasons. He last appeared on the show in 2010.
Joanne Hayes, who worked as a costume assistant on the first season of the Doctor Who revival (shot in 2004), told The Guardian that Clarke sexually harassed her in his trailer. “[He] liked girls with long hair,” said Hayes, who had long hair at the time.
An unnamed woman who worked on the show around the same time alleges that Clarke touched her inappropriately while she was driving him to and from set and that he would repeatedly ask her to go to his hotel room for sex. She noted that she was later put on different duties after complaining to an assistant director.
A third woman, who worked as a runner on the show, claims Clarke became “rude” and “aggressive” after she and another female co-worker rejected his sexual advances at a hotel bar in the mid-2000s. She added that he later started spreading false rumors about them on set.
Clarke and his lawyers have strongly denied these accusations, stating that these events did not happen, that the actor was never made aware of any complaint against him, and that he would have no reason to be at a hotel bar given that he doesn’t drink.
Following The Guardian‘s original exposé last week, Clarke released a statement, saying, “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.”
Fellow Doctor Who actor John Barrowman is also mentioned in the latest piece, having being accused of “exposing himself repeatedly” on set. However, the report notes that many witnesses referred to these incidents as “inappropriate pranks” rather than predatory behavior.
