Opportunities in the entertainment industry seemed endless for actor Thea Beyleveld. With her new talent agent, Archie Purnell, working hard to secure roles for her, she felt optimistic. Archie’s role was to negotiate contracts and payment, taking a commission from the work he booked for her.
However, everything changed when allegations of fake acting credits and late payments surfaced online. Actors began sharing their stories using the hashtag #BodhiGate. Thea recalls her shock:
“The one thing that caught my attention was [the] late payments. My heart immediately dropped.”
As accusations mounted, former clients reported being left with thousands of pounds in losses while Archie declared bankruptcy.
In the UK, there is no requirement for a license to establish a talent agency, leading to limited oversight. Although talent agencies must comply with the Employment Agencies Act 2003, which mandates payments be made within 10 days, clients of Bodhi Talent Agency were forced to chase payments for months.
Thea claims she is owed a staggering £12,960 for her work on projects like Netflix’s The Crown. After discovering the situation, she expressed her feelings of betrayal in a letter to Archie:
“Words cannot express the rage, betrayal and hurt you have caused me.”
Despite efforts from the performers' union Equity to recover nearly £40,000 owed to ten clients, they dropped the case when Archie went bankrupt.
Many actors reported issues with late or non-payments. For instance, Jack Bence, a previous regular on Bad Education, stated he is owed £7,079.81 for various jobs.
“I feel isolated… but I’m also angry,” Jack expressed about his experience with Archie.
Former clients accused Jamie Thomas Fisher (Archie’s real name) of misrepresentation regarding his credentials and claimed he sent audition opportunities that were never real.
The scandal extends to Jamie’s agency for child actors, Luna Kids Casting. Parents paid significant fees but received little in return, with one mother stating:
“It wasted a year of opportunity [and] it raised her hopes, a little girl’s dreams.”
As more victims come forward through platforms like The 98% Club, discussions about the need for regulation in the UK entertainment industry are intensifying.
The #BodhiGate scandal has highlighted a pressing issue: actors need greater protections against unscrupulous agents who can operate without proper oversight or accountability.
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