Jared Leto concerts at The O2 face calls to cancel over sexual conduct claims

Two major UK concerts featuring Jared Leto are under pressure to be cancelled after campaigners raised concerns over allegations of criminal sexual conduct. The Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman is scheduled to perform at London’s The O2 and Manchester’s Co-Op Live in April 2025. Women’s Aid and the End Violence Against Women Coalition have urged organisers to halt the events, citing the safety of women and girls.

The calls follow a BBC investigation published last week that detailed accusations from four women. They allege Leto engaged in sexual assault and grooming during the 2000s and 2010s, when the women were teenagers and Leto was in his 30s and 40s. The investigation also included accounts from two former band staff members who described uncomfortable interactions between Leto and young female fans.

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Campaigners demand action over "troubling" plans

A spokesperson for Women’s Aid told BBC Newsbeat that the decision to proceed with the concerts was "troubling". The charity said it was "urgent" for organisers to "put safety over profit" and avoid "platforming figures like this" in light of the allegations. The End Violence Against Women Coalition echoed the call, with interim director Janaya Walker describing the continued sale of tickets as "really worrying".

I think it really is about putting people over profit in this instance, and particularly women and girls' safety. Particularly for victims and survivors of violence against women and girls, they'll be seeing these reports and then seeing that things are moving forward seemingly without any consequence. I think that will cause a huge amount of alarm and frustration and anger.

Janaya Walker, interim director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition

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Walker said the coalition wanted the music industry to consider whether hosting Leto’s performances would signal tolerance for such behaviour. She added that survivors of violence against women and girls would likely feel distressed and angry if the concerts went ahead without consequences. Neither the concert promoters, venues, nor the band have responded to requests for comment from the BBC.

Allegations span two decades

The BBC documentary *Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret* included testimony from ten women, nine of whom spoke publicly for the first time. Among them is a former model, identified only as Alex, who described an encounter with Leto in London in 2013. She said she was 19 at the time but felt compelled to lie about her age, telling Leto she was 17. Leto, then 41, reportedly responded, "Age is just a number, and anyway, we're in Europe."

Alex said she was later invited to a hotel room where only Leto was present. She alleges he told her that if she slept on the chaise longue, she would wake up "with a dick in her ass". She now believes the encounter was premeditated. Two former band staff members also told the BBC that crew members were instructed to invite young girls backstage after concerts, with one estimating that about two girls a day visited Leto at a house where the band was working.

Leto denies all allegations

Jared Leto has strongly denied the allegations. After the BBC published its investigation, his representatives issued a statement calling the claims "absolutely and categorically false". The statement read, "I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life." Leto did not respond to the BBC’s requests for comment before the documentary was published.

What happens next

The concerts at The O2 and Co-Op Live are scheduled for April 2025. It is unclear whether organisers will respond to the calls for cancellation. Women’s Aid and the End Violence Against Women Coalition have said they will continue to press for the events to be pulled. The BBC has reported that no further statements have been issued by the venues, promoters, or the band since the allegations were published.