During his High Court libel trial, actor and producer Noel Clarke accused the Guardian’s publisher of ruining his life for years with their articles. Clarke, known for his roles in Doctor Who and Kidulthood, began his testimony on Monday. The 49-year-old is taking legal action against Guardian News and Media (GNM) over articles published in 2021 and 2022 that alleged sexually inappropriate behavior on his part. He firmly denies these claims, while GNM stands by their reporting, stating it is both accurate and serves the public interest.
In an emotional moment during the trial, Clarke addressed an allegation of inappropriate sexual behavior towards an actress involved in a film he worked on. He expressed his frustration, telling the Guardian’s barrister, Gavin Millar KC, that the publication had damaged his life with these accusations. Clarke vehemently denied the allegation, stating, “You know what you’re doing. You make me sick, I would not do this.” When questioned about an alleged incident on the set of Doctor Who involving a female costume assistant, Clarke claimed not to remember the incident or the woman involved, firmly stating, “It didn’t happen.”
Further accusations were brought up regarding Clarke’s conduct towards a woman he collaborated with on a project, suggesting he behaved inappropriately by physically pushing himself against her in a sexual manner and groping her. Clarke refuted these claims, highlighting that he had received messages from the woman over the years, implying her allegations were baseless. Maintaining his innocence, Clarke stated, “I’m sitting here having sworn on the Bible, and I’m telling you she’s lying.” His testimony is set to continue until Wednesday, with the trial expected to span six weeks
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