Coronation Street’s Bill Roache is not “fazed” by the huge six-figure amount he owes the taxman, according to friends.
The actor, 91, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since 1960, reached a settlement in 2018 to settle a debt of £588,015.18, but has so far only paid £41,666.65.
Friends in Bill’s spiritual group say he is “doing well” as he “faces bankruptcy” for the second time, according to Mirror.
At a Stride for Truth group meeting Friday night, one member said he supported Bill “100%.”
The organisation, which fights for world peace and enlightenment, meets in a room above a foot clinic in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.
Coronation Street’s Bill Roache is ‘not fazed’ by the huge six-figure amount he owes the taxman, according to friends
Friends from Bill’s spiritual group say he is “doing well” as he “faces bankruptcy” for the second time, according to The Mirror.
Stride for Truth’s Facebook says: ‘The ultimate vision and plan is true and eternal world peace. A new world order will be established and a new collective consciousness will be created.
‘This new order and the new Earth will be centered on love. Strength will return to the human heart and lies, deceit, greed and evil will no longer prosper. The truth will make us free.’
Bill, who is now the highest-paid member of the cast, earning around £250,000 a year, “owes the taxman almost £550,000”.
The Sun has published his six-figure debt, just weeks after it was revealed he is facing bankruptcy for the second time.
Bill initially owed £588,015.18 and signed an agreement in 2018 to settle it, 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.
Bill’s interest payments amount to £14,699, while he also faces late payment penalties of more than £8,000, both included in the total.
MailOnline has contacted Bill’s representatives for comment.
The actor, 91, 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.
It comes 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 interact with us to get out of debt, such as offering installment payment plans.
“We only file for bankruptcy as a last resort.”
A Coronation Street spokesperson told the publication: “We are very sorry for Bill’s financial situation. Bill has a current contract with Coronation Street and remains a much-loved member of the cast.
Documents were filed against the father-of-five at the High Court in London on Tuesday, with details of the tax debt case kept confidential.
In the late 1990s, Bill ended up bankrupt after a libel battle with The Sun for calling him “boring Ken Barlow”.
He won the case, but was deemed to have wasted court time with the claim and was only awarded £50,000, the amount the newspaper had offered him to settle out of court.
He was left with huge legal bills which he compounded by the decision to sue his solicitors over the case, leaving him in debt of up to £600,000.
In December last year it was reported that Bill had signed on to star in Coronation Street for another 12 months, marking his 63rd year on the soap.
The actor, 91, has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap since his debut in 1960, when he was paid £70 a week.
He had until last month to pay the full amount of £546,348.53 and now faces a High Court battle in March.
He holds the world record for longest-serving television actor in a continuous role and is even listed in the Guinness World Records (pictured in a soap opera 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 previously said he wanted to stay on the soap at 100 years old.
Last year he told The Mirror: “Someone said to me: ‘Look, Bill, you’re in the Guinness Book of Records, you’ve got the MBE, you’ve been on Coronation Street for over 60 years, what else is that?’ there?’
“I said, ‘I’d like to be the first centenarian still involved in an ongoing drama.’ That’s my goal, to be 100 and still working on Coronation Street.’
“As long as they love me and as long as I can do it, I’ll keep doing it.”
Bill has also said: ‘People will ask you when are you going to retire? Are you going to take a break? But then what happens?
‘As long as I can do it and as long as they 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 an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King Charles for his services as an actor after more than 60 years on Corrie.
Bill, who was previously awarded an MBE, revealed the hilarious reaction of King Charles, who jokingly asked: “You’re not still working are you?”
Last December, Bill was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King Charles for his services as an actor after more than 60 years on Corrie.
In May 2022, Bill revealed that he almost left the soap opera to pursue his dream of appearing in western films alongside the likes of Clint Eastwood.
He admitted his first aspiration to star in films was when he launched his acting career, telling the Sunday People: “When I started I wanted to be in films, particularly I wanted to be in westerns.
‘There was a time in the middle of my career, when I was 40, I thought if I was ever going to go out and do something else, now was the time.
‘But I just thought about that. I never actually did it. “I realized that I am very proud of Coronation Street and I am lucky to be there.”