The 48-year-old American filmmaker is accused of throwing a drink over BBC Three presenter and party planner Teddy Edwardes.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, a court official confirmed.

Black is charged with assaulting Edwardes by beating at Freedom nightclub in Soho, according to court papers.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted unconditional bail ahead of a trial on 8 August.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to a club in Soho, in London's West End, at around 12.30am on 18 August last year following reports of "an altercation" between a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s.

Black was charged with common assault on 17 February, the police added.

In 2009, Black won an Oscar for best original screenplay for Milk, a film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician, Harvey Milk.

He also wrote the 2011 film J Edgar starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer, and directed by Clint Eastwood, and created the FX crime series Under the Banner of Heaven starring Andrew Garfield.

Edwardes is an LGBTQ+ party planner and co-host of the BBC Three show Big Proud Party Agency.

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A spokesperson for Black said: "Mr Black will respect the process, and in the meantime will continue to focus on being a loving father and husband."

Black married Olympic champion diver Daley, 28, at Dartmoor National Park in 2017 after they got engaged in 2015.

The couple welcomed their first child, Robert Ray in 2018 via surrogate, and their second son, Phoenix Rose, earlier this month.