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Noel Clarke sexual harassment allegations, suspended by BAFTA

878 replies

Cwenthryth · 29/04/2021 20:41

www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/apr/29/actor-noel-clarke-accused-of-groping-harassment-and-bullying-by-20-women

🤬🤬🤬

Especially galling that BAFTA was seemingly made aware of this before giving him his very recent honour. I watched his acceptance speech and found it really moving in terms of celebrating a working class black man’s success in a historically white industry. Turns out he’s an (alleged) sexual abuser. Fucking great.

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Lisz · 30/04/2021 14:24

Nice to see Michaela Coel getting a thumbs up on here; she's been vocally supposrtive of Trans people for years.

PearPickingPorky · 30/04/2021 14:36

@Lisz

Nice to see Michaela Coel getting a thumbs up on here; she's been vocally supposrtive of Trans people for years.
That's great. Most of us here are "supportive of trans people" too.
Whiskyinajar · 30/04/2021 14:41

@TheWeeDonkey

I was watching this on the news this morning and his response to this was so obnoxious. "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."

Something about it reminded me of Harvey Winestein, "you can't accouse me, look at all the good things I do" What a creep.

Yep... you note that he doesn't deny the allegations. Just that "never had a complaint made against me".

Speaka volumes. Woody Allan says the same.

Sparrowfeeder · 30/04/2021 14:47

Never heard of him until now but he looks very dodgy in his media pics. Cold slightly off vibe in the eyes and his face. He is not someone I would ever get into a lift with - bad vibes.

Standrewsschool · 30/04/2021 14:53

“ I have no idea whether Noel Clarke is guilty of the allegations against him. I do know that everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence. True to the spirit of the age, however, Clarke is undergoing trial by media and has already been found guilty.” Paul Embery

Just saw this post on Twitter. Part of me agrees with it.

TheWeeDonkey · 30/04/2021 14:57

So how many separate individuals have to come forward with the same story about the same person before you believe it to be true?

I get where you're coming from, I've heard people say the same thing about Jimmy Saville, Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein too.

Nightbear · 30/04/2021 14:58
  1. Women. 20. Women. Fuck off Paul.
youvegottenminuteslynn · 30/04/2021 15:05

@Standrewsschool

“ I have no idea whether Noel Clarke is guilty of the allegations against him. I do know that everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence. True to the spirit of the age, however, Clarke is undergoing trial by media and has already been found guilty.” Paul Embery

Just saw this post on Twitter. Part of me agrees with it.

Does the other part acknowledge it's astonishingly unlikely the guardian would have printed so many accounts, with such specificity, under the advice of their legal team if this were not a robust account of his behaviour? And that it's unlikely he'll face any actual criminal charges for things like indecent exposure, sexual harassment or anything else so while his career will be hit 'justice' in the truest sense won't really be done at all? Hope so.
poppycat10 · 30/04/2021 15:07

@MrsTerryPratchett

Another one.

DH and I like to play, "which man would you actually be surprised about at this point". It's a really fucking short list.

He has David Tennant and I'm keeping Patrick Stewart.

And Adrian Lester.

Very disappointed to hear this about Noel Clarke.

PearPickingPorky · 30/04/2021 15:08

The magic number is N+x I think.

In reality, it doesn't matter how many people corroborate it, because they don't really think that these men have done anything "wrong". The fault lies with women, for being unwilling, for being naive, for not being the "right kind of victim" and for making a big unfair fuss about nothing and ruing a man's career when he was just doing what any other man would do in the same position.

AliceMcK · 30/04/2021 15:11

@Cwenthryth

I feel angry and disappointed. And (this is selfish I know) as a massive Who fan, won’t be able to watch Mickey Smith again without seething resentment. Fucking men ruining everything.

Hope the women he (allegedly) abused are being looked after and supported. It takes a lot of bravery to come forward like this. Solidarity to them all, and to all women calling out our abusers.

Who made the decision at BAFTA to go ahead with honouring him? Is BAFTA subject to FOI?

This has just gone through my head reading this. He has now ruined some of my favourite Dr Who episodes.

On a positive note, it’s good that these woman now feel they can stand up to men like this.

newnortherner111 · 30/04/2021 15:13

Sad if the case, but two thoughts come to mind. Firstly in several cases of abuse the victim only feels able to come forward when the person who has harmed them achieves some kind of reward or promotion. Abusive vicars and priests often only reported when they are or about to become bishops, for example. Secondly, did the victims feel that if they complained they would be accused of being racist?

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/04/2021 15:13

@Standrewsschool

“ I have no idea whether Noel Clarke is guilty of the allegations against him. I do know that everyone is entitled to the presumption of innocence. True to the spirit of the age, however, Clarke is undergoing trial by media and has already been found guilty.” Paul Embery

Just saw this post on Twitter. Part of me agrees with it.

The presumption of innocence is in Court. If I were in a jury, I'd follow that. Who babysits my kid, or I get naked with, that's balance of probabilities. And that takes a lot fewer than 20 women. 1 will do. Creepy feeling will do.

Horrible men have made 'presumption of innocence' their cloak and shield. It facilitates their abuse.

DragonMuff · 30/04/2021 15:14

@Lisz

Nice to see Michaela Coel getting a thumbs up on here; she's been vocally supposrtive of Trans people for years.
I think the explanation is that generally gender critical women don’t try to cancel or write off as ignorant bigots people who disagree with them about sex/gender issues. It’s a shame the reverse isn’t true.

Anyway he is of course entitled to defend himself against the allegations and in the meantime I am entitled to think they sound very plausible and think he’s fucking awful.

RealHousewifeOfPontypandy · 30/04/2021 15:18

Final episode of Viewpoint tonight cancelled on ITV.

MercyBooth · 30/04/2021 15:19

So BAFTA give two awards to Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman yet at the same time ignore the allegations against Clarke. How do they square that circle. Did they actually notice the subject matter of Promising Young Woman and care about what Fennell was saying with the film.

I wouldnt be surprised if Emerald sends those awards back. NOT that i expect her too. But she may feel they are now a bit tainted.

RealHousewifeOfPontypandy · 30/04/2021 15:21

Gutted to read about NC, always thought h was talented and worked hard, look at him in a a very different light. The article in the Guardian was horrific. Wonder what the wife thought of the rumours over the years. Also agree what a toxic culture it must be for all this to be kept hush over the years. And what an absolute shit role model to his kids. Gutted and angry on behalf of his victims and just women everywhere.

RealHousewifeOfPontypandy · 30/04/2021 15:25

@MercyBooth

So BAFTA give two awards to Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman yet at the same time ignore the allegations against Clarke. How do they square that circle. Did they actually notice the subject matter of Promising Young Woman and care about what Fennell was saying with the film. I wouldnt be surprised if Emerald sends those awards back. NOT that i expect her too. But she may feel they are now a bit tainted.
The irony. That's a missed photo op.
CuriousaboutSamphire · 30/04/2021 15:25

He used to refer to his (then?) wife as ‘vagina at home’. Really? Gross!

I'm another who thought he always came across as a nice bloke in interviews. Whilst assuming innocence and all that, his immediate response isn't filling me with any confidence that he will actually address any of the issues raised.

Blech!

BoreOfWhabylon · 30/04/2021 15:29

His agent and his management company have dumped him too.

BoreOfWhabylon · 30/04/2021 15:30

m.youtube.com/watch?v=S3OuRoV8TCw

Mollyollydolly · 30/04/2021 15:33

All this makes me like Christopher Eccleston even more.

Viviennemary · 30/04/2021 15:33

Never even heard of him before. At first I thought what a fuss when they I heard they are thinking about cancelling the last Viewpoint episode tonight. But It does sound very serious. I don't think the episode should be cancelled though.

RUOKHon · 30/04/2021 15:35

Yep... you note that he doesn't deny the allegations. Just that "never had a complaint made against me".
Speaka volumes. Woody Allan says the same

Yes exactly. I feel like what they really mean when they say this is: ‘I’ve been getting away with this for years an nothing’s stopped me so far.’

CarmelBeach · 30/04/2021 15:35

The ITV statement is a can of worms. Making it available in the hub discriminates against those who can't access it, surely?

I feel for everyone else who worked hard on it too, their work deserves to be shown as planned.