Noel Clarke arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, reports say

Actor Noel Clarke has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, exposure and sexual assault by touching, according to reports.

The Doctor Who and Kidulthood star was questioned by detectives on Tuesday and bailed pending further inquiries.

The Metropolitan Police said the arrest related to a sexual offence which is alleged to have taken place in 2007 in London against a woman in her 20s.

BBC News has approached Clarke's representatives for a response.

The Sun said the actor was arrested and questioned by detectives from the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command.

A Met spokesperson said: "A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape, exposure and sexual assault by touching on Tuesday, 10 February. He was interviewed by detectives.

"This arrest relates to a sexual offence, which is alleged to have taken place in 2007 in London against a woman in her 20s.

"The man was also interviewed in relation to a voyeurism allegation, for which he was previously arrested in September 2025. This relates to an offence allegedly committed in 2013 at an address in London against a woman in her 20s.

"The man was bailed pending further enquiries and the Met's investigation continues."

Career collapse

Clarke found fame playing Mickey Smith in Doctor Who between 2005 and 2010, and went on to become a successful actor, writer, producer and director.

But his screen career collapsed in 2021 after the Guardian published accounts from several women who had worked with him, alleging sexual misconduct, which he denied.

In August, Clarke lost his libel case against the Guardian, after he sued the newspaper's publisher.

In September, a High Court judge ruled that Clarke must pay at least £3m of the Guardian publisher's legal costs.

Clarke, who represented himself at the hearing, told the court he thought the Guardian's legal costs were excessive and should be reduced.

But he is likely to have to pay even more in total after the Guardian told the court that a conservative estimate of its total costs was £6m.