Actor William Roache given three months to settle tax debt

Coronation Street star William Roache has been given three months to settle a tax debt, the High Court has heard.

Mr Roache did not appear at a specialist hearing on Monday, where lawyers for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said the sum the actor owes – which was not disclosed in court – has been reduced due to payments made.

Jacquille Jarrett, for HMRC, said Mr Roache had asked for a 12-week adjournment, which was unopposed, to “allow for the sale of property”.

Retired Insolvency and Companies Court judge Stephen Baister granted the adjournment and said Mr Roache’s case will return in June.

“Splendid,” Dr Baister said at the end of the hearing, which lasted less than a minute, at the High Court in London.

Mr Roache is best known for his portrayal of Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for more than 60 years after making his debut in its first episode in 1960.

The 91-year-old, who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-serving TV soap star in the world, was made an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in December 2021 for his services to drama and charity.