LONDON — British actor and filmmaker Noel Clarke has been arrested at his Kensington home as part of a new investigation by the Metropolitan Police, it has been confirmed.
Detectives reportedly searched the property on Thursday, seizing boxes that appeared to contain a laptop and documents. Clarke, 49, was questioned in custody and later released. The reasons for his arrest have not been disclosed by the police.
The investigation, which began on 1 September 2025, is being led by the Met’s central specialist crime command. The Met Police declined to comment further.
This development comes just weeks after Clarke lost a libel lawsuit against The Guardian. In August 2025, Justice Mrs Steyn ruled in favor of the newspaper, which had published a series of reports in 2021–2022 detailing allegations of sexual misconduct against Clarke by more than 20 women.
The judge dismissed Clarke’s claims that the allegations were false and part of a conspiracy, stating that he was “not a credible or reliable witness.” The court found that The Guardian had proven its case on the grounds of both truth and public interest.
Clarke had sued over seven articles and a podcast, accusing the media outlet of defamation. Testimony from nearly 30 people, including 26 who spoke in court, detailed instances of inappropriate behavior they experienced or witnessed while working with him.
The London-born actor, best known for roles in Doctor Who, Kidulthood, and Bulletproof, rose to prominence in the 2000s. He received Bafta’s Rising Star Award in 2009 and was honored in 2021 with Bafta’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema—an award that was suspended following the sexual misconduct revelations.
While the exact nature of the current investigation remains unclear, Clarke’s legal and public troubles appear far from over.
