Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant Reveals Past Sexual Abuse by Theatre Boss

Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant has publicly disclosed that he was sexually abused as a teenager by the former head of the National Youth Theatre, Michael Croft. In an interview with The Sunday Times, he recounted the traumatic experience, which took place during the summer of 1978 while he was attending the theatre company in London.

During the summer, Croft, who was 40 years older than the then 16-year-old Bryant, invited him to dinner every evening. On one occasion, after returning from the bathroom, Bryant found Croft in a state of undress, wearing only a silk robe. Bryant described the moment, stating that Croft then made a sexual advance towards him, which he felt compelled to accept, leading him to feel like “a 16-year-old whore.”

In discussing the incident, Bryant expressed his discomfort, noting, “I don’t like telling this very much because I’ve not told it very often.” He elaborated on their relationship, highlighting that Croft would often take him to his home under the pretext of giving him a lift. Despite the abuse, Bryant mentioned that Croft never made further advances after that night, and the two maintained a friendship. As an ordained minister, Bryant later conducted Croft’s funeral.

Reflecting on the abuse, Bryant stated, “He behaved absolutely appallingly, it’s despicable.” He acknowledged that Croft was able to identify him as a gay individual in a time when homosexuality was largely illegal and socially unacceptable. Bryant revealed that at least one of his friends from the National Youth Theatre also suffered abuse at Croft’s hands.

In addition to his experience with Croft, the 63-year-old MP disclosed that he had faced sexual assault from five male MPs during his time at Westminster. He did not name these individuals or report the incidents, citing a lack of systems in place for reporting such behavior and a fear that doing so would negatively impact his reputation. “There was no system for doing so and I was frightened it would make me look bad,” he remarked, although he noted that perceptions of homophobia in Parliament have improved over the past 24 years.

The National Youth Theatre issued a statement expressing gratitude to Bryant for revealing his experience. The organization stated, “We are very sorry that this happened to him and to others who have previously shared with us their accounts of historic abuse by the same perpetrator.” They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting all victims of abuse and encouraged anyone with similar experiences to seek help.

The statement continued, “While Chris writes he doesn’t feel damaged by what happened, we recognize that being subjected to an abuse of power can have lasting consequences for many, in different ways.” The National Youth Theatre emphasized that all reports would be handled according to their safeguarding policies, highlighting their evolution since the 1970s into an organization with robust safeguarding practices.

Bryant is set to appear at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this month, where he will promote his new book, A Life And A Half: The Unexpected Making Of A Politician.