Noel Clarke Accused of Impropriety on BBC’s ‘Doctor Who’ Set; BBC ‘Shocked’ And Will Investigate
Embattled British star Noel Clarke has been accused of misbehavior of the sets of BBC’s flagship show “Doctor Who” — the program that helped turn him into a household name in the U.K.
“Several sources came forward to allege they were sexually harassed or inappropriately touched by the actor on a flagship show, ‘Doctor Who,'” U.K. newspaper The Guardian reported on Friday.
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Clarke played the vehicle technician character Mickey Smith on “Doctor Who” from 2005 to 2010.
The Guardian published an explosive story on April 29, in which several women came forward and accused Clarke of inappropriate behavior, following which he lost his management and the BAFTA he was awarded a few weeks earlier. ITV, the BBC and Sky severed professional ties with him. Clarke has denied the charges vehemently.
The latest set of accusations against Clarke detail specific instances where he was allegedly out of line with a costume assistant, who claims the actor made inappropriate comments to her in a trailer in 2004; a runner and driver, who claims Clarke touched her inappropriately and made sexually explicit and graphic remarks to her; and a runner, who also alleges Clarke sexually harassed her and another female co-worker following a work event.
A “Doctor Who” actor, who asked to remain anonymous, claims they were also sexually harassed by Clarke, who allegedly made unwanted advances. When rejected, the actor claims he badmouthed her to members of the industry.
“The BBC is against all forms of inappropriate behaviour and we’re shocked to hear of these allegations,” a BBC spokesperson told Variety. “To be absolutely clear, we will investigate any specific allegations made by individuals to the BBC — and if anyone has been subjected to or witnessed inappropriate behaviour of any kind we would encourage them to raise it with us directly.”
“We have a zero tolerance approach and robust processes are in place — which are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practice — to ensure any complaints or concerns are handled with the utmost seriousness and care,” the spokesperson added.
It has also emerged that Clarke’s fellow “Doctor Who” actor John Barrowman is accused of exposing himself on set. A 2015 clip has emerged in which Clarke jokes about his co-star’s behaviour.
The allegations against Clarke have exposed a festering wound in U.K. film and TV production circles. A recently published open letter that lays bare sexual malpractices against women in the industry now has more than 1,200 signatures.
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