The short version
- Michael Pritchett alleges Bafta trustees breached charity and company laws by receiving free guest tickets while accounts claimed no benefits were received.
- The academy has launched an independent review into the historic practice, which outgoing chair Sara Putt says ended in 2025.
- Pritchett demands trustees repay potential tax liabilities and correct financial records, a stance Putt supports if legally required.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is confronting serious allegations that its governing body may have violated charity and company laws. Michael Pritchett, the chair of the academy’s membership council, raised these concerns during the organization’s annual general meeting. He asserted that trustees who approved recent financial accounts likely committed offenses by failing to disclose benefits they received from the charity.
The core of the dispute centers on complimentary tickets provided to trustees for the academy’s awards ceremonies. Pritchett stated that trustees received not only their own admission but also a second ticket for a guest. These additional seats were reportedly located at premium tables, with secondary market values reaching two thousand pounds for film awards events. This practice allegedly persisted for up to twenty years.
Pritchett highlighted a direct contradiction between this reality and the academy’s official filings. The charity’s accounts for 2024 and 2025 explicitly stated that no trustees had received remuneration or benefits. Similarly, public registers listed zero payments or perks for board members. Pritchett argued that approving such documents while accepting valuable tickets constitutes a breach of legal obligations under both the Charities Act and the Companies Act.
The membership council chair emphasized that he did not seek out these discrepancies but uncovered them while fulfilling his duties. He noted that he obtained independent legal advice at his own expense to verify the severity of the situation. According to this counsel, the failure to report these benefits likely resulted in statutory offenses by those who signed off on the financial statements.
Beyond the immediate breach of charity law, Pritchett raised concerns about potential tax liabilities. He suggested that such benefits have been taxable since 2016, implying that national insurance contributions may also be owed by the academy. He expressed uncertainty regarding whether these arrangements were ever reported to relevant government authorities, adding another layer of complexity to the governance issue.
Sara Putt, the outgoing chair of Bafta, acknowledged the gravity of the situation while defending the board’s current actions. She confirmed that the practice of providing guest tickets was discontinued in 2025 following a recommendation from the governance committee. Putt stated that an independent review group is currently examining both the ticketing arrangements and the associated accounting matters.
The academy maintains that trustees serve in a voluntary capacity, often acting as ambassadors who host tables at events. A spokesperson explained that the guest tickets were part of a longstanding custom dating back to periods of lower demand for awards ceremony seats. The organization emphasized that trustees attend these events in a working role, representing the academy’s interests.
Pritchett criticized the lack of transparency from senior executives, noting their refusal to provide records identifying which trustees received complimentary tickets. He argued that this information belongs to the charity and its members, who contributed 4.7 million pounds in fees the previous year. He called for trustees to repay any owed taxes and correct the historical accounts.
Putt responded to these demands by affirming that the board would comply with any legal requirements to pay taxes if instructed to do so. She distinguished between the limited information available to Pritchett’s legal counsel and the broader context accessible to Bafta’s internal lawyers. The academy has committed to updating members as the independent review progresses.
The situation underscores broader challenges in nonprofit governance, particularly regarding the definition of benefits for volunteer board members. As the independent review continues, the academy must balance historical practices with strict legal compliance. The outcome could set a precedent for how similar organizations manage trustee perks and financial disclosures.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Bafta trustees may have broken charity law by accepting free guest tickets
