‘Coronation Street’ icon Bill Roache has reportedly said he has no choice but to keep working amid his tax affairs.
‘Coronation Street’ icon Bill Roache has reportedly said he has no choice but to keep working amid his tax affairs
The 91-year-old actor, who has played Ken Barlow on the ITV soap for more than 63 years, could be facing bankruptcy after he was formally petitioned by HMRC over arrears, and he’s now said to have told friends and family that he still needs his six-figure ‘Corrie’ salary.
A source told The Sun about the dad-of-five: “Corrie have been great and are backing him to the hilt.
“He knows he has a job for life – and the thing is, he needs it now. The tax issue has been rumbling on a long time but it is still quite shocking.
“Obviously, everyone is worried about the impact all of this could have on someone of Bill’s age.
“The risk of being made bankrupt is tough for anyone, but for a 91-year-old it’s a huge worry.”
The insider added about how Bill was keeping his chin up: “But Bill’s doing fine in the circumstances and is in a determined mood.
“He just wants to get it all sorted out and is getting the advice he needs.”
They also said Bill “has told friends he has no plans to stop working and with everything that’s going on he doesn’t exactly have much choice now” – but insisted “at least he’s happy in his job”.
The Sun revealed last week how documents lodged at London’s High Court listed Bill as a “debtor” and HMRC as “petitioner”.
Bill was previously made bankrupt in 1999 and a ‘Coronation Street’ spokeswoman said of his case: “We’re really sorry to hear of Bill’s financial situation.
“Bill has an ongoing contract and remains a much-loved member of the cast.”
HMRC said: “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.
“We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort.”
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