Celebrities collude over ‘set-up shoots’ Leveson Inquiry is told

Published on 20/07/2012 02:03

A PHOTOGRAPHER has told the Leveson Inquiry that most pictures taken of celebrities are “set up shoots”.

Matthew Sprake, who runs a picture agency, told the Inquiry that celebrities – or their agents – “passed information” to photographers about where they would be and when.

In a written statement, he said: “Information about where a celebrity is going to be on a certain day and time has been passed to us by the celebrity themselves or their agents,”

Mr Sprake, managing director of NewsPics, added: “Sometimes they want payment for this information by way of a split of the fees paid on publication.”

Mr Sprake gave evidence to the inquiry on Wednesday and was asked how “widespread” was the “practice of celebrities selling information to photographers about themselves” or allowing themselves to be photographed with a “view to commercial exploitation.

He said the practice was “massive” and added: “Most pictures of celebrities are done that way. I mean set-up shoots – they’re commonplace within the industry. They happen daily.”

The inquiry will resume on Monday.