Corrie's Bill Roache clears mega-tax bill after avoiding second bankruptcy Mark Jefferies, William Warnes, 6/10/2024 Coronation Street star Bill Roache, who has played Ken Barlow for over 60 years, has settled his tax bill with HMRC, avoiding a second bankruptcy. The 92-year-old actor, reportedly the highest-paid cast member, did not attend the hearing where the case was dismissed. Roache had previously faced a significant tax bill after investing in a £500 million tax avoidance scheme. Coronation Street star William Roache has settled his tax bill with HMRC at the High Court.
The 92-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow on the soap for more than 60 years, was given 12 weeks in March to settle the dispute. At a hearing on Monday which lasted less than a minute, Anam Razvi, for HMRC, requested the dismissal of the case on behalf of the tax body.
Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs agreed and dismissed the case, court staff said. Actor Bill did not attend the hearing at the specialist Insolvency and Companies Court in London but will no doubt be relieved by the news.
It is understood that Bill earns around £250,000 a year and is reportedly the highest-paid cast member. In February, the Mirror told how he was raking in thousands of pounds a week filming shout-outs to fans as he battled bankruptcy.
The soap legend was on two websites selling video messages for up to £51 a time to delighted fans. He had hundreds of five-star reviews on the Cameo platform. And at the time it was estimated his earnings were likely to be far higher as typically only around a quarter of customers leave reviews.
In 2018 the Mirror told how the star faced a huge bill after investing in a £500million tax avoidance scheme. It was unknown how much he had invested in Twofold First Services LLP, owned by a firm in the Cayman Islands. He was one of 288 investors who entered the scheme and put in, on average, £1.75million. Papers showed he joined the scheme in March 2012.
In February a Coronation Street spokesman had also said: "We're really sorry to hear of Bill's financial situation. He has an ongoing contract with Coronation Street and remains a much-loved member of the cast." Bill is best known for his portrayal of Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for nearly 64 years after making his debut in its first episode in 1960.
He holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving TV soap star in the world and was made an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list in December 2021 for his services to drama and charity.
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