Actor Noel Clarke is suing The Guardian newspaper for £10million over a series of ‘false’ articles alleging sexual misconduct towards several women.
Mr Clarke said the eight articles have had a ‘catastrophic’ impact on his career, causing him to suffer a ‘devastating’ financial loss of £10,140,000.60.
The Doctor Who star also claimed that ‘every existing or upcoming contract’ he had had been cancelled and that he has ‘not had one single work contract’ since the first Guardian article on him in April 2021.
Mr Clarke was never arrested over the claims, which pushed him to the brink of suicide, with the Met Police saying there was not enough evidence against him to warrant a criminal investigation.
But the allegations, reportedly made by 20 women who previously worked with him, saw him being axed from Sky TV show Bulletproof as well as ITV’s Viewpoint and Channel 5’s Highwater.
Documents have been lodged at London’s High Court as part of a defamation case against the Guardian, according to the BBC.
A judge will now decide what damages he is entitled to – if he wins his case.
He is also claiming for general damages which include harm to reputation and special damages which cover specific financial loss.
The claim says that ‘the impact on him financially has been devastating’ adding that ‘every existing or upcoming contract’ has been cancelled.
It also says that he has not worked a single contract since the article was first published in April 2021.
There are a number of specific financial losses claimed by the actor, including for season four of Sky TV show Bulletproof, series two of ITV show Viewpoint and Channel 5 TV show Highwater.
In total he is claiming for £10,140,000.60 in financial loss.
His lawyers are also claiming aggravated damages on his behalf for what his lawyers described as the ‘relentless, targeted, vicious and persistent nature of the wholly unjustified defamatory campaign’ by the newspaper.
The case was scheduled to be heard at the High Court tomorrow but the court was told the actor wanted new solicitors so it has been delayed.
As a result of this delay, the case will not be heard until October or early November later this year.
The court will decide whether the articles are defamatory or whether they were statements of fact and opinion.
Following the allegations in 2021, Mr Clarke had his Bafta membership suspended and the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award he had been given days before was revoked.
The actor later sought to sue Bafta for suspending but dropped his legal action in September.
