History of Noel Clarke in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 23, 2024

Noel Anthony Clarke is a British creative force known for his multifaceted work as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and director. He gained recognition for his role as Mickey Smith in "Doctor Who" but achieved critical acclaim for his impactful trilogy "Kidulthood," "Adulthood," and "Brotherhood." These films, along with the TV series "Bulletproof," showcased Clarke's commitment to portraying the experiences of Black working-class communities in London.

December 1975: Birth of Noel Clarke

Noel Anthony Clarke was born in December 1975 in Notting Hill, London. He is known for his work as an actor, producer, screenwriter, and director.

2002: Recurring Role in "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet"

Clarke took on the recurring role of Wyman Norris in the revived series of "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet" starting in 2002.

2003: Film Debut with "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"

Noel Clarke made his first appearance on the big screen in 2003 with the film "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead".

2003: Stage Debut and Laurence Olivier Award

Noel Clarke made his professional stage debut in 2003 with the play "Where Do We Live" at the Royal Court Theatre, for which he earned the Laurence Olivier Award for "Most Promising Newcomer".

2003: Laurence Olivier Award Win

Noel Clarke was recognized for his stage talent in 2003 when he received the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Performer.

2004: End of "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet"

Clarke's time on the show "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet" concluded in 2004.

2005: Doctor Who Debut

Noel Clarke rose to fame for playing Mickey Smith in the popular television series Doctor Who from 2005.

March 2006: Release of "Kidulthood"

Noel Clarke's film "Kidulthood" premiered in March 2006, marking his screenwriting debut and drawing both acclaim and controversy for its realistic depiction of teenage life in London.

2006: Release of "Kidulthood"

Clarke wrote, directed, and starred in the critically acclaimed film "Kidulthood" in 2006, which garnered both praise and controversy for its portrayal of youth in London.

2006: First Two Series of "Doctor Who" Revival

Noel Clarke's portrayal of Mickey Smith continued for the first two series of the revamped "Doctor Who" until 2006.

December 2007: Voice Role in "Dalek Empire: The Fearless"

Expanding his repertoire, Noel Clarke lent his voice to the "Doctor Who" audio series "Dalek Empire: The Fearless," released in December 2007.

2008: Release of "Adulthood"

Building on the success of "Kidulthood," Clarke wrote, starred in, and made his directorial debut with "Adulthood" in 2008.

2008: Guest Appearance in "Doctor Who"

Clarke reprised his role as Mickey Smith for a guest appearance in the 2008 "Doctor Who" episode "Journey's End."

2008: Release of "Adulthood" and Directorial Debut

Following the success of "Kidulthood", Noel Clarke wrote, starred in, and directed "Adulthood" in 2008, marking his first foray into film direction.

2009: BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award

Clarke's rising star in the film industry was affirmed in 2009 when he was honored with the BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award.

2009: Release of "Heartless", "Doghouse", and "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"

Noel Clarke appeared in three British films in 2009: "Heartless", "Doghouse", and "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll".

2009: BAFTA Win and MediaGuardian 100 Recognition

Noel Clarke's achievements in 2009 included winning a BAFTA award for Orange Rising Star and securing the 83rd spot on The Guardian's MediaGuardian 100 list, which recognizes influential figures in the media industry.

2010: Final "Doctor Who" Appearance

Clarke made his last appearance as Mickey Smith in "Doctor Who" in the 2010 episode "The End of Time" Part 2.

2010: Deal with Icon

Clarke secured a deal with Icon in 2010.

2010: Departure from Doctor Who and Release of "Centurion"

In 2010, Clarke's time on Doctor Who came to an end. The same year, he starred in the historical action film "Centurion".

2010: Noel Clarke and Adam Deacon's Fallout

Noel Clarke and Adam Deacon reportedly fell out in 2010, with Deacon accusing Clarke of bullying and sabotaging his career.

2010: Release of "4.3.2.1."

Noel Clarke wrote and co-directed the heist film "4.3.2.1.", which featured an ensemble cast including Emma Roberts and Tamsin Egerton, in 2010.

2012: Release of "Fast Girls" and "Storage 24"

Clarke appeared in two films in 2012: "Fast Girls," a sports drama, and "Storage 24," a science fiction horror.

May 2013: Release of "Star Trek Into Darkness"

Noel Clarke portrayed Thomas Harewood in the science fiction film "Star Trek Into Darkness", released on May 15, 2013.

2013: Appearance in "Star Trek Into Darkness"

In 2013, Noel Clarke took on the role of Thomas Harewood in the science fiction blockbuster "Star Trek Into Darkness".

2014: Release of "I Am Soldier" and "The Anomaly"

Noel Clarke appeared in two films in 2014: "I Am Soldier" and "The Anomaly".

December 2015: Release of "The Troop"

Noel Clarke ventured into the world of comics with the release of his superhero series "The Troop" for Titan Comics in December 2015.

2015: Adam Deacon Banned from Contacting Noel Clarke

In 2015, Adam Deacon was banned by West London Magistrates' Court from contacting Noel Clarke after being found guilty of harassment without violence due to sending abusive social media messages.

2015: Founding of Unstoppable Film and Television

In a significant career move, Noel Clarke and fellow actor Jason Maza established their own production company, Unstoppable Film and Television, in 2015.

August 2016: Release of "Brotherhood"

Noel Clarke completed his "Hood" trilogy with the release of "Brotherhood" in August 2016, which received a mixed-to-positive reception and enjoyed box-office success.

2016: Release of "Brotherhood"

Clarke concluded his "Hood" trilogy with the release of "Brotherhood" in 2016.

2017: Appearance in "I Kill Giants"

Clarke starred in the fantasy drama film "I Kill Giants" in 2017.

May 2018: First Season of Bulletproof Premieres

On 15 May 2018, the first season of Bulletproof was broadcast on Sky One. The series received positive reviews and achieved successful ratings, marking a significant milestone in the show's development.

2018: Appearance on "Who Do You Think You Are?"

In 2018, Noel Clarke embarked on a journey to uncover his family history in an episode of the BBC genealogy series "Who Do You Think You Are?"

2018: Premiere of "Bulletproof"

Noel Clarke co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the police drama series "Bulletproof," which premiered in 2018.

August 2019: Bulletproof Special Announced

In August 2019, it was announced that a new three-part special of Bulletproof would be broadcast in autumn 2020, expanding the show's storyline.

December 2019: Second Series of Bulletproof Announced

In December 2019, it was announced by Sky TV that the second series of Bulletproof would air on 20 March 2020, continuing the success of the show.

2019: Release of "The Corrupted"

Clarke starred in the British crime thriller "The Corrupted," released in 2019.

March 2020: Second Series of Bulletproof Airs

On 20 March 2020, the second series of Bulletproof, consisting of seven episodes, began airing on Sky One, following the show's initial success.

January 2021: Bulletproof Renewed for Fourth Series

On 15 January 2021, Bulletproof was renewed for a fourth series, which was set to consist of eight episodes. Filming was scheduled to begin later in the year.

January 2021: Bulletproof Special Airs

On 20 January 2021, a special three-part episode of Bulletproof began airing, taking Bishop and Pike to South Africa to investigate the criminal underworld.

April 2021: BAFTA Suspension

Following allegations of misconduct, BAFTA suspended Noel Clarke's award in April 2021.

April 2021: Viewpoint Airs Amid Allegations

In April 2021, Noel Clarke starred in and executively-produced the ITV miniseries Viewpoint, which aired nightly from 26 April. Allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation surfaced just before the fourth episode, leading to the final episode being withdrawn from broadcast on 30 April.

April 2021: Filming of Bulletproof Suspended

In late April 2021, following allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying against Noel Clarke, filming of the fourth series of Bulletproof was suspended pending an investigation.

April 2021: Allegations Against Noel Clarke

On 29 April 2021, The Guardian published allegations by 20 women of verbal abuse, bullying, and sexual harassment by Clarke. By the following day, six more women came forward with similar allegations.

May 2021: Bulletproof Cancelled

In May 2021, Sky One officially cancelled Bulletproof following the allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying against Noel Clarke.

May 2021: More Allegations on the Set of Doctor Who

On 7 May 2021, Noel Clarke was accused by five more women of sexual harassment on the set of Doctor Who and at a promotional event. Sky and Vertigo Films subsequently decided not to proceed with further series of Bulletproof.

2021: Conclusion of "Bulletproof"

The final season of the crime drama "Bulletproof" aired in 2021.

March 2022: Metropolitan Police Decision

On 27 March 2022, the Metropolitan Police decided not to proceed with investigating the sexual harassment claims against Noel Clarke, stating the information did not meet the threshold for a criminal investigation.

September 2022: Noel Clarke Drops Legal Action Against BAFTA

On 7 September 2022, it was reported that Noel Clarke had dropped his legal action against BAFTA following the suspension of his membership and honorary award.

July 2023: Noel Clarke Takes High Court Action Against The Guardian

On 19 July 2023, it was revealed that Noel Clarke was seeking approximately £10 million in damages from The Guardian over eight articles, claiming reputational harm and special damages for financial losses.

October 2023: First Stage of High Court Action

On 26 October 2023, the first stage of Noel Clarke's High Court action against The Guardian was held.

November 2023: Judge Rules Articles Defamatory

On 1 November 2023, it was reported that Mr Justice Johnson ruled all eight articles complained of by Noel Clarke were defamatory. The defamation claim will progress in the High Court in 2024.

2023: Noel Clarke's Interview on The Zeze Mills Show

In 2023, Noel Clarke appeared on The Zeze Mills Show, where he denied the allegations against him, claiming that many of them were false or taken out of context.

2024: Defamation Case to Progress

In 2024, Noel Clarke's defamation case against The Guardian will continue in the High Court following the preliminary ruling that the articles in question were defamatory.