Sir Chris Bryant MP: Breaking a Long Silence on Historical Abuse

Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant has made deeply personal revelations about historical sexual abuse that he has suffered.

Ahead of his memoir A Life and a Half: The Unexpected Making of a Politician, Bryant disclosed in a recent interview with The Sunday Times that he was sexually abused at age 16 by Michael Croft, the founder of the National Youth Theatre.

Bryant says Croft was around 40 years his senior, and during a summer season in 1978, Croft would regularly invite him to dinner at an Italian restaurant in King’s Cross, and that they would go to Croft’s house afterwards.  Bryant revealed one evening at Croft’s house, he returned from the toilet to discover Croft wearing only a silk robe, who then demanded oral sex from Bryant. Feeling powerless as a young teenager, Bryant describes how he felt he had no choice but to comply with Croft’s demands, describing himself as a “16-year-old-whore”.

Bryant called Croft’s actions “despicable”, emphasising the imbalance of power and the perilous environment for gay individuals at a time when homosexuality was widely condemned.  Bryant also revealed he was aware of at least one other youth theatre peer that had experienced similar abuse by Croft.

Despite the trauma of the abuse, Bryant stayed in contact with Croft, with Bryant (also an ordained minister), even conducting Croft’s funeral following his death in 1986.

Bryant further disclosed that during his parliamentary career, he has been sexually assaulted by five male MPs, describing experiences of one MP repeatedly groping his bottom and another pushing him against a wall and pressing his hand against Bryant’s crotch. 

In response to the abuse disclosure by Bryant, the National Youth Theatre has released the following statement on their website:

‘We are grateful to Chris Bryant for disclosing to our team the historical abuse he suffered in the company in the 1970s. 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.

As we set out in a public statement on the case in 2017 available here, we stand in solidarity with all victims of abuse and encourage anyone who has experienced abuse no matter how long ago to speak to someone and access support.

In this case the perpetrator has been deceased since 1986, but all reports made to us will be dealt with in accordance with our robust and formalised safeguarding policy and practice. Our safeguarding practice has now been in place for three decades and is continually reviewed and updated annually in accordance with evolving best practice, legal requirements and advice from leading external experts including the NSPCC.

While Chris writes he doesn’t feel damaged by what happened, we recognise that being subjected to an abuse of power can have lasting consequences for many, in different ways. Anyone getting in touch will be listened to and treated with care and respect by trained professionals, in line with our certified trauma-informed practice. We are grateful to Chris for his support of our organisation today, and acknowledgement of how different a charity we are in 2025 to the one he encountered in the 1970s, with thorough safeguarding practices and policies in place.’

The National Youth Theatre statement also sets out contact details for their safeguarding team, for any further survivors of historical abuse or anyone wishing to raise concerns about any young people currently in their care.