Bafta trustees face legal questions over complimentary awards tickets
Bafta trustees may have breached charity and company law by accepting complimentary guest tickets to the organisation’s awards ceremonies, according to Michael Pritchett, chair of its membership council. He said legal advice he commissioned suggested offences may have been committed by trustees who approved accounts stating they received no benefits.
Pritchett said trustees had been offered top-table seats for guests, including at the film awards, where a second ticket was priced at £2,000. He also raised possible tax and National Insurance liabilities dating back to 2016 and called for any sums due to be repaid and accounts corrected. Bafta ended the guest-ticket practice in 2025 and says an independent review of the historic arrangement is under way; its chair said the board would pay taxes if required.
In short
- Bafta’s membership council chair alleges trustees may have breached the law over guest tickets.
- A film awards guest seat was priced at £2,000.
- Bafta ended the practice in 2025 and is reviewing past arrangements.
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The case for
If trustees received valuable guest tickets and approved accounts declaring that they received no benefits, scrutiny is justified: charities and companies depend on accurate reporting, and trustees should meet their legal and tax obligations. Correcting accounts and repaying any sums due would help protect public trust, while an independent review could establish the facts fairly.
The case against
The reported legal concerns are allegations based on advice commissioned by the membership council chair, not established findings, and the details of the ticket arrangements and accounts may matter to whether any rules were breached. Trustees may have understood the tickets differently or relied on existing advice; a thorough independent review should determine responsibility and any liabilities before conclusions are drawn.
Explained simply
Bafta is a UK charity best known for its film, television and arts awards. Its trustees oversee the organisation and are responsible for its governance and financial reporting, while its membership council represents members.
Charity and company rules can restrict benefits trustees receive because of their role, and require accounts to report them accurately. Complimentary guest tickets may therefore raise questions about whether the tickets counted as benefits and whether any tax or National Insurance was due.
The issue matters because trustees are expected to act in the charity’s interests and disclose relevant benefits. How the rules apply depends on the arrangement and the findings of the review.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Bafta trustees may have broken charity law by accepting free guest tickets”.