Coronation Street's Bill Roache “owes almost £550,000 to the taxman”, it has been revealed.
The 91-year-old actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since 1960 when he was paid just £70 a week, is now the highest-paid member of the cast, earning around £250,000 a year.
However, The Sun has revealed his six-figure debts just weeks after it was revealed he was facing bankruptcy for a second time.
Bill originally owed £588,015.18 and entered into an agreement to settle the debt in 2018, but High Court documents obtained by the publication claim he only paid £41,666.65.
He had until last month to pay the full amount of £546,348.53 and now faces a High Court battle in March.
Coronation Street's Bill Roache “owes almost £550,000 to the taxman”, it has been revealed
The 91-year-old actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since 1960 when he was paid just £70 a week, is now the highest-paid member of the cast, earning around £250,000 a year
Bill's interest payments amount to £14,699 and he also faces late payment penalties of over £8,000, both of which are included in the total amount.
Web has contacted Bill's representatives for comment.
This came after HMRC said it “does not comment on individual cases”, but a spokesperson told The Mirror: “We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who work with us.” Ease your debts, for example by offering installment plans.
“We only file for bankruptcy as a last resort.”
A Coronation Street spokesperson told the publication: “We are truly sorry to hear about Bill's financial situation. “Bill has an ongoing contract with Coronation Street and remains a popular member of the cast.”
Lawsuits against the father of five children were filed at London's High Court on Tuesday, but details of the cause of the tax debt remained confidential.
In the late 1990s, Bill went bankrupt after a libel dispute with The Sun for describing him as a “boring Ken Barlow”.
He won the case, but was judged to have wasted his time suing and was only awarded £50,000, the amount the newspaper had offered him in an out-of-court settlement.
He was left with huge legal costs, which he compounded with the decision to sue his lawyers over the case, leaving him in debt of up to £600,000.
In December last year it was reported that Bill had taken on the lead role in Coronation Street for a further 12 months, marking his 63rd year on the soap.
The 91-year-old actor has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since its debut in 1960, when he was paid £70 a week.
He holds the world record for longest-serving television actor in a continuous role and is even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records (pictured in a soap with Anne Reid in 1963).
He holds the world record for longest-serving television actor in a continuous role and is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Bill had previously said that he still wanted to be on the soap when he was 100 years old.
Last year he told The Mirror: “Someone said to me: 'Look Bill, you're in the Guinness Book of World Records, you've got the MBE, you've been in Coronation Street for over 60 years, what else. ' There?'
“I said to him, 'I want to be the first centenarian to star in an ongoing drama.' “That’s my goal: to be 100 and still working on Coronation Street.”
“As long as they want me and as long as I can, I’ll keep doing it.”
Bill also said: “People will ask, ‘When are you retiring?’ Are you going to take a break? But what happens then?
“Although I can do it and they will have me, I have no intention of retiring.” “I am very fortunate to work for an organization that is happy to have me.”
Last December, Bill was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King Charles for his services to acting after more than 60 years on Corrie.
Bill, who previously received an MBE, revealed the hilarious reaction of King Charles, who jokingly asked: “You're not working yet, are you?”
Last December, Bill was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King Charles for his services to acting after more than 60 years on Corrie
In May 2022, Bill revealed that he almost quit the soap to pursue his dream of appearing in western films alongside Clint Eastwood.
He admitted he first aspired to act in films when he started his acting career, telling the Sunday People: “When I started out I wanted to act in films, especially westerns.”
“There was a time in the middle of my career, when I was in my 40s, when I thought if I was ever going to go out and do something different, now would be the time.”
“But I was just thinking about it. I've actually never done it. I realized I’m really proud of Coronation Street, I’m lucky to be there.”