Noel Clarke discusses ‘modern McCarthyism’ around sexual harassment allegations

Noel Clarke

UK actor and director Noel Clarke has spoken out for the first time since the London Metropolitan Police confirmed it would not be investigating him further over allegations of sexual harassment.

The police confirmed in March it would not be extending its inquiry into the allegations made against the Bulletproof star, which were first made in UK newspaper The Guardian. These included claims that the actor had bullied, sexually harassed and verbally abused co-workers on set, as well as taken and shared sexually explicit pictures and videos without consent.

Clarke denied all but one of the claims, which related to making inappropriate comments to a woman.

The actor was subsequently suspended by UK film and TV body Bafta, which also revoked his recently awarded outstanding contribution to British cinema prize. Clarke’s production firm, All3Media-backed Unstoppable Film and Television, was closed and European pay-TV operator Sky cancelled crime drama series Bulletproof.

Clarke has now told UK newspaper The Daily Mail that he felt suicidal following the allegations and added that he had faced “modern McCarthyism”.

He said: “Twenty years of work was gone in 24 hours. I lost everything. The company I built from the ground up, my TV shows, my movies, my book deals, the industry respect I had. In my heart and my head it has damaged me in a way I cannot articulate.

“There has been no arrest, no charges, no trial, no verdict, but I have been criminalized,” Clarke added. “This is a form of modern McCarthyism.”

He told the UK tabloid: “If we don’t need police and judges and juries any more, if we only need social media and the broadcasters, then what world do we live in?

“At what point did the broadcasters in this country become the judges, juries and executioners of people? At what point did Bafta decide they were no longer about films, but they were about judging people’s lives?”

Clarke revealed earlier this month he is suing both the Guardian and Bafta for defamation.