Sir Chris Bryant disclosed that he was sexually abused by Michael Croft, former head of the National Youth Theatre, during the summer of 1978. Croft, who died in 1986, invited Bryant to dinner frequently. After a dinner, Bryant returned to find Croft naked, leading to an incident where he felt pressured into sexual activity. Despite the abuse, Bryant expressed no regret about maintaining their friendship and officiated Croft's funeral, acknowledging the difficulty in sharing his story while also aiming to encourage others to do the same.
Sir Chris Bryant revealed he was sexually abused as a teenager by Michael Croft, the former head of the National Youth Theatre, during the summer of 1978.
The National Youth Theatre expressed deep regret over the incidents and acknowledged previous accounts from others regarding historic abuse by Croft.
Bryant recounted a night when he returned to Croft's home to find him naked and was subsequently coerced into sex, feeling like "a 16-year-old whore."
Despite the abuse, Bryant maintained that he did not feel defined by the experience and valued the friendship with Croft, conducting his funeral.
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