Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker has been forced to sell her £1.4 million home and flog its contents on eBay after being handed an enormous tax bill.
The 69-year old, who shot to stardom as a Eurovision winner in 1981 with the band’s song, Making Your Mind Up, has listed her six-bedroom cottage on the market to raise finances.
Former Dancing on Ice contestant Cheryl fell foul of the coronavirus pandemic with a lack of employment opportunities leaving her penniless.
READ MORE: Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker reveals real reason behind band name change over ‘jealousy’
Ruing her circumstances, MailOnline reported that Cheryl said: “I owe lots of tax… I physically haven’t got the money to pay anybody because I’m broke.
The star has already parted with her car and many items of clothing, and even became self-sufficient by growing her own garden vegetables to save cash, whilst an orchard on the plot bears apples and pears.
Now, Cheryl hopes to net a substantial amount from the sale of the Kent property she paid £750,000 for in 2011 alongside her musician husband Steve Stroud.
Estate agent Hamptons describes it as a “charming” fully-renovated 2,800 square foot property with a detached barn suitable for holiday lets.
Surrounded by farmland, its brochure states: “It is set in an idyllic semi-rural location while being in easy reach of the main towns.
“The original 1930s home has been subject to a number of improvements in recent years including a new kitchen, toilet and bathrooms.
“The accommodation is well presented and decorated in a modern style while retaining some original features such as wooden beams and floors.”
Cheryl, who now performs alongside bandmates Jay Aston and Mike Nolan simply as The Fizz, were performing around 50 gigs per year until Covid struck forcing them to postpone a tour.
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In-fighting led to Bucks Fizz’ other member, Bobby G, continuing without the trio and gigging instead with his wife and two others.
Cheryl went on to explain that her only income in the last year came from a single performance, resulting in a “ridiculously hard” situation.
She told OK!: “I owe lots of tax and VAT because I had a great year three years ago. But because I had that great year, I now can’t claim anything from the government. So, I’ve had to ring the VAT and tax people and say, ‘You’re going to have to put it on hold.’
“I have cut my cloth accordingly. I’m not destitute. I’m just struggling like so many people – and I’m in a much better position than a lot of them. There just isn’t any work.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk