Coronation Street star Bill Roache has been snapped with a new car, just weeks after it was reported the actor was facing bankruptcy for a second time.
The soap star, 91, who made his first appearance as Ken Barlow in 1960, is facing bankruptcy after HMRC launched a petition against him. But Bill appeared to brush off the claims as he stepped out in a plush new Audi A6 in Cheshire last week.
He layered up in a blue sweater and coat along with a pair of blue trousers. The star headed inside as two furnishing contractors arrived at his property, with one of the vans from a company called country home furnishings co ltd, which specialises in soft furnishings for homes.
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Last month, it was revealed Bill was on the brink of bankruptcy. The actor is still believed to be the highest-paid cast member on the ITV soap, taking home around £250,000 a year.
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A spokesperson for the HMRC 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 engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans. We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort.”
A spokesperson for Coronation Street told the publication: “We’re really sorry to hear of Bill’s financial situation. Bill has an ongoing contract with Coronation Street and remains a much-loved member of the cast.”
(Image: SplashNews.com)
Papers were lodged against the dad-of-five at London’s High Court, however, the details remain confidential. This isn’t the first time Bill has faced financial difficulty.
He was declared bankrupt 24 years ago after suing a newspaper that called him “boring Ken Barlow”. The TV star’s case was successful and he was awarded £50,000 in damages.
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Despite the win, it wasn’t enough to fund his legal costs after he’d previously turned down £50,000 in an out-of-court settlement. The soap icon was left liable for £120,000 in costs and was declared bankrupt in 1999.
The actor also found himself with a huge bill after he’d invested in a £500million Cayman Island tax avoidance scheme. It was never established how much money Bill had stumped up, but on average investors were reported to have chipped in £1.75million.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
