Eamonn Holmes could be facing a hefty tax bill after losing a case against HMRC, it has been reported.
According to the Daily Mail, Eamonn could end up owing as much as £250,000, after claiming he’s a freelancer who gets paid through his own limited company.
However, the newspaper has reported that HM Revenue and Customs is cracking down on this practise, as it can lead to some earners paying smaller amounts of tax, meaning the This Morning host could be facing a large bill.
Eamonn’s representative has insisted to the Daily Mail that he “has always considered himself a self-employed freelancer and has never knowingly avoided paying taxes”.
They added that the broadcaster is currently “seeking to comprehend what this means”, calling for more “clarity and consistency across the guidelines” so that others in similar positions can avoid “suffer[ing] the same confusion”.
Back in 2018, Eamonn said on the matter: “I’ve been freelance for 28 years and that’s been okay. Now [HMRC has] said it’s not okay. They have reinvented the rules in the past couple of years.”
He added: “There is nobody more freelance than me, but they are trying to prove our jobs are regular and guaranteed. They could go at any moment.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Eamonn Holmes’ reps for further comment.
However, Eamonn isn’t the only ITV daytime star to make headlines for tax-related reasons.
Last year, Lorraine Kelly famously made headlines when she won a £1.2 million tax battle, describing herself as a “theatrical artist” who “presents herself as a brand” rather than a standard TV host.