Noel Clarke's legal battle over s*xual misconduct allegations with The Guardian commences

Noel Clarke, best known for starring in Doctor Who became a better-known figure when The Guardian published a bombshell report about the actor in 2021, alleging that the actor was involved in cases of s*xual misconduct over many years.

He was allegedly accused by 20 women of groping, harassment, and bullying. Clarke had immediately denied the allegations but had said that he would educate himself and change for the better.

But following this, the career of the 47-year-old star went downhill, with him being dropped from TV shows, stripped of a Bafta, and ostracised in media circles. Noel Clarke now claims that he was a victim of a media trial and was wrongly dubbed a "s*xual predator."

The £10 million High Court libel battle with The Guardian began on Thursday, October 27, 2023, with Clarke’s lawyer, Adam Speker KC opening with a strong statement.

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"The overall impression is plainly one of guilt"- Adam Speker KC on The Guardian's allegations on Noel Clarke

As the trial began, the lawyer for Noel Clarke started out by describing how his client had been deemed a "s*xual predator" from the very start, without enough proof to support the same.

As per Evening Standard, who covered the trial, Adam Speker said:

"Over a series of days at the end of April 2021 and the beginning of May 2021, Guardian News and Media Limited (GNM) chose to label (Clarke) as a s*xual predator and accuse him of having acted improperly towards a large number of women in a s*xual and criminal way over many years...The first article was a major J’accuse moment for Clarke and the film industry, with (him) being described in the first two words of the online edition as a ‘s*xual predator’."

He continued:

"This trial by media, conducted by the most read newspaper for people in the film and entertainment industry, led, unsurprisingly, to (Clarke) being ‘cancelled' in various ways."

He further argued that the impression from The Guardian's report seems to suggest that Noel Clarke falls in the bracket of predators like Jimmy Savile and Harvey Weinstein.

He added:

"The overall impression is plainly one of guilt..."

The Guardian did not back down from their claims and defended their journalism, stating that the allegations placed on Noel Clarke were extremely well-researched and recorded.

The trial will take some time to conclude, as this was only the first time both parties went to court.

Clarke claims he lost a £585,000 fee when Sky crime series Bulletproof was dropped, followed by a further £270,000 for the ITV drama Viewpoint, among others.