Coronation Street star William Roache has avoided bankruptcy after settling a tax bill with HMRC at the High Court.

A previous tribunal saw the Corrie star ordered to settle the £588,015.18 tax bill when it was ruled he was involved in a "tax-avoidance agreement."

In High Court papers obtained by The Sun, they showed the actor had paid back £41,666.65 this year.

The 92-year-old, who has played Ken Barlow on the soap for more than 60 years, was given 12 weeks in March to settle the dispute.

Coronation Street star William Roache.Coronation Street star William Roache. (Image: PA)

It's understood the Corrie star was given more time to "allow for the sale of property", relating to his £900k mortgage-free home in Cheshire.

At a hearing on Monday, June 10 which lasted less than a minute, Anam Razvi, for HMRC, requested the dismissal of the case on behalf of the tax body.

Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Nicholas Briggs agreed and dismissed the case, court staff said.


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The ITV star did not attend the hearing at the specialist Insolvency and Companies Court in London.

He is best known for his portrayal of Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for nearly 64 years after making his debut in its first episode in 1960.

He holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving TV soap star in the world and was made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in December 2021 for his services to drama and charity.