'Mr. Big' accused of sexually assaulting two women

Sky News

Sex And The City star Chris Noth has said sex assault claims made against him by two women are "categorically false", as fitness brand Peloton pulled its latest advertising campaign featuring the actor.

The US celebrity, best known for his role as Mr. Big in the hit TV series and current spin-off And Just Like That, has been accused of attacking the alleged victims more than 10 years apart.

The women, who do not know each other, approached trade publication The Hollywood Reporter separately to claim the 67-year-old's reprisal of his role in the new show had stirred up painful memories.

One woman, who is given the pseudonym Zoe, said she was 22 and working in an entry-level job for a high-profile firm where Noth and other celebrities regularly had business when he assaulted her in his apartment in Los Angeles in 2004.

Another woman, given the pseudonym Lily, was 25 and working as a waitress in the VIP section of a New York nightclub when she met the actor in 2015.  She claims he assaulted her in his New York apartment. 

A statement from Noth said: "The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false.  These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago - no always means no - that is a line I did not cross.  The encounters were consensual.  It's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don't know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women."

The police in Los Angeles said there is no criminal investigation underway and no report has been made.

Noth has been in the headlines in recent days after his character in And Just Like That... was killed off after finishing a Peloton spin class.  He subsequently appeared in an advertising campaign for the fitness brand, which has since been paused as a result of the allegations.

In a statement, Peloton said: "Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously.  We were unaware of these allegations when we featured Chris Noth in our response to HBO's reboot.  As we seek to learn more, we have stopped promoting this video and archived related social posts."

It also appears that Ryan Reynolds, who narrates and produced the advert, and Jess King, a Peloton instructor who stars in the clip, have deleted the video from their social media accounts.