FILE PHOTO: Harvey Weinstein poses on the Red Carpet after arriving at the 89th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, U.S., February 26, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Harvey Weinstein was suspended from the British film academy BAFTA on Wednesday, following allegations that the Hollywood movie producer sexually assaulted several women.

“In light of recent very serious allegations, BAFTA has informed Harvey Weinstein that his membership has been suspended, effective immediately,” the academy said in a statement.

“We hope this announcement sends a clear message that such behavior has absolutely no place in our industry.”

In an article in the New Yorker on Tuesday, Weinstein’s spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister responded to the allegations, saying that “any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein”.

“Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.”

Reuters was unable to independently confirm any of the allegations. Weinstein and several of the women cited in the article have not immediately replied to emailed requests for comment.

Weinstein was one of BAFTA’s New York trustees and regularly threw a lavish party ahead of its annual prize ceremony. His films have been nominated for the academy’s prestigious award four times.