BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, has suspended British actor and producer Noel Clarke following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The body told CNN in a statement on Friday that it had made the decision to suspend Clarke’s membership, along with his recent award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, » in light of the allegations of serious misconduct » leveled against him in the Guardian newspaper. «BAFTA has taken the decision to suspend his membership and the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award immediately and until further notice,» it added. The suspension comes just weeks after Clarke was given the award — one of the academy’s most prestigious honors — at its annual ceremony on April 10. According to the Guardian, claims of sexual harassment and bullying were made against Clarke by 20 women, all of whom knew him in a professional capacity between 2004 and 2019. The Guardian claims BAFTA was aware of some of the allegations before the award ceremony. The 45-year-old star, best known for his roles in » Doctor Who » and the film «Kidulthood,» denied any wrongdoing in a statement to the Guardian through his lawyers. «In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me,» he said in the statement. «If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise.
