Noel Clarke says life ‘smashed’ by misconduct allegations

Actor and producer Noel Clarke has accused the publisher of the Guardian of having “smashed my life for years” as he gave evidence at his High Court libel trial.

The star of Doctor Who and Kidulthood began his testimony on Monday.

The 49-year-old is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) for libel over a series of articles from 2021 and 2022 that included allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour.

Clarke denies the allegations, while GNM is defending its reporting as being both true and in the public interest.

Asked about his alleged inappropriate sexual behaviour towards an actress who appeared in a film he was involved with, he became quite emotional and tearful, telling the Guardian’s barrister Gavin Millar KC: “They have smashed my life for years with this rubbish. You know what you’re doing. You make me sick, I would not do this.”

Mr Millar asked Mr Clarke about an allegation that while working on Doctor Who, he made an inappropriate sexual suggestion to a female costume assistant.

He replied: “I don’t remember that incident, I don’t remember the woman in question. So I say it didn’t happen.”

Mr Millar asked: “It didn’t happen or you don’t remember it?”

Mr Clarke replied: “It didn’t happen.”

He was also asked about his interactions with a woman whom he worked with in the run-up to a particular project, where it was alleged that he physically pushed his body against her in a sexual way, and groped her.

Mr Clarke responded saying that he had subsequently had messages from the woman over the years, adding that this proves that her allegations were absolute nonsense.

He said: “I’m sitting here having sworn on the Bible, and I’m telling you she’s lying.”

He is due to continue giving evidence until Wednesday.

The case is scheduled to last six weeks.