Michael Pritchett: Bafta Trustees Likely Broke Law with Guest Tickets

Michael Pritchett, chair of the Bafta membership council, stated that trustees likely committed offences under charity and company law by accepting complimentary guest tickets at the academy's awards ceremonies. He presented this finding at the organisation's annual general meeting, citing legal advice he obtained at his own expense.

Pritchett alleged that trustees received free seats for themselves and a guest, a practice that may have continued for 20 years. The guest seats were located at top tables, and a second ticket at the film awards carried a value of £2,000. He noted that the 2024 and 2025 accounts stated that no trustees had received remuneration or benefits, a claim mirrored in the public register.

"I did not go looking for what I found," Pritchett told members. "I found it doing the job that you gave me." He added that counsel advised that offences under the Charities Act and Companies Act were likely committed by the trustees who approved those specific accounts.

The chair raised the possibility that these benefits created tax liabilities. He said benefits of this kind were likely taxable since 2016, with national insurance potentially payable by Bafta. Pritchett could not establish whether the arrangements had been reported to the relevant authorities. He also criticised a senior executive for refusing to hand over records of who received the tickets, despite committee terms allowing such requests.

Members paid £4.7m in fees the previous year. Pritchett, who also serves on the governance and appointments committee, called for trustees to pay any taxes due, repay money owed, and correct the accounts. Outgoing chair Sara Putt responded that if the board was told it had to pay those taxes, it would absolutely do so.

Putt said the board decided in 2025, on the recommendation of its governance committee, to stop giving trustees a guest ticket. She noted that an independent review group is examining the guest ticket and accounting matters. She clarified that the legal advice obtained by Pritchett and Sara Curran rested on limited information, while Bafta's own counsel had a fuller picture.

A Bafta spokesperson said trustees were invited to events in an ambassadorial role and could bring a plus one before 2025. The academy discontinued that practice in 2025. The board has set up an independent review group to consider the historic arrangement, and the review is currently under way.