Doctor Who Actor Sues BAFTA Awards and The Guardian For Defamation
Jed | Hollywood Scholar | May 2, 2022 |
The last few years have been difficult for several stars of the 2005 Doctor Who revival series, with both John Barrowman and Noel Clarke being accused of sexual misconduct. In the case against Noel Clarke, he was accused by 20 women of sexual abuse, including harassment, blackmail, and abuse of authority. However, in the year since the allegations came to light, the UK police responsible for this investigation have dropped their case against Clarke, stating they had “determined the information would not meet the threshold for a criminal investigation.”
Clarke, famous for his role as Mickey Smith on the British sci-fi series Doctor Who, has vehemently defended his innocence throughout this ordeal and now seems determined to have recompense against his alleged defamers. Like fellow allegedly blameless victims of accusations, including Kyle Rittenhouse and Johnny Depp, Noel Clarke is suing those responsible for his defamation, including BAFTA and The Guardian. A spokesperson for BAFTA responded to this news, saying:
“A year ago, BAFTA was transparent about what led to Mr. Clarke’s award and membership being suspended following serious accusations of groping, harassment and bullying by 20 women published by The Guardian. We stand by our decision and are very surprised by the news he now wishes to sue the arts charity. If proceedings are served, we will of course defend ourselves.”
The phrase “innocent until proven guilty” appears to have been removed from our society’s common vernacular. Any accusations made against a man in power are immediately believed, with untold consequences brought against the accused before guilt can be assured. Johnny Depp is the perfect example of this. At this time, Clarke’s guilt or innocence cannot be stated emphatically, but the evidence leads toward his innocence at this time. Repercussions for such accusations shouldn’t happen until guilt is proven, as has been our society’s way in the past.
No dates or further information regarding these defamation lawsuits have been announced. Given the difficulty of defamation suits, exemplified by Johnny Depp’s loss against The Sun in the UK, it is unlikely that Clarke will win his cases. However, if Clarke is indeed innocent, an approach similar to Depp’s current case against Amber Heard could work for him. A public court presenting all available evidence may not be enough to win a defamation suit, but it could sway the people in the court of public opinion, resurrecting Clarke’s now-annihilated career. Only by doing so can Clarke hope to reclaim everything that has been taken from him.
