Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson cut a sombre figure on Friday as he stepped out just days after it was claimed he’s failed to pay £50,000 in debts.
The actor, 64, best known for playing Jim McDonald on the ITV soap, was pictured heading out for a stroll with his dog in Cheshire, after it was claimed that due to his money woes he could be banned from starting anymore companies.
According to documents obtained by The Mirror, Charlie has missed deadlines to repay £37,000 from the 2018 failure of his deli, which was based in Cheshire.
Debts at Prestbury’s Farm Shop have now passed £50,000 with liquidators’ fees of £14,500 included, and Jim is reportedly being threatened with legal action over the unpaid funds.
Money was owed to a turkey farm, wine suppliers, an energy company and other companies based as far away as France.
Coronation Street star Charlie Lawson cut a sombre figure on Friday as he stepped out just days after it was claimed he’s failed to pay £50,000 in debts
The actor was pictured heading out for a stroll with his dog in Cheshire, after it was claimed that due to his money woes he could be banned from starting anymore companies
Liquidators claimed that Lawson and his wife Debbie ‘may be unfit to be involved with managing the affairs of a company in the future’.
In the documents, HMRC said: ‘During the period of this report, no further monies have been received in respect of the payment of the costs of the liquidation.
‘To date, the sum of £3,160 has been paid and the balance is being pursued. As a response was not received from the guarantor, solicitors have been instructed to collect the amount owed.
‘Based on current information, regrettably, there is little likelihood of any funds being available to pay a distribution to unsecured creditors.’
Charlie first set up the company in 2010 with partner Debbie and was often seen behind the counter serving artisan cheese, meat and game.
His agent told the publication that ‘the matter is in hand and ongoing.’
Charlie has struggled with money woes in the past, and in 2001 he had to declare himself bankrupt, owing almost £200,000 to the Inland Revenue and financial companies.
MailOnline has contacted a representative for Charlie Lawson for further comment.
Charlie – best known for his role as Jim McDonald – has reportedly missed deadlines to repay £37,000 from the 2018 failure of his deli, which was based in Cheshire
Charlie first joined the Corrie cast in 1989 as Jim McDonald, and starred in the soap for 11 years, and he briefly reprised his role in 2003 and 2018.
In January, the actor claims the soap’s cast are too ‘scared’ to speak up about its ‘woke’ storylines, and said he believes viewing figures have dropped as fans are ‘fed up’ with its ‘s**te ‘ plots.
Broadcaster ITV’s flagship serial scored around 2.6million viewers at Christmas, meaning it missed out on charting in the 10 most watched shows, coming in 12th place.
Charlie told The Sun: ‘Viewers are getting turned off by too many young storylines.
‘In my day, in the Nineties, we didn’t have any woke issues, we didn’t have any political correctness, we had none of that s**te. We were able to tell stories and tell them properly.
‘I suspect now half the meetings that they have upstairs on the sixth floor are about what is politically acceptable, all this stuff that they feel they have to address.
‘And the silent majority of TV viewers are not interested in the slightest by all this c**p.’
Charlie has struggled with money woes in the past, and in 2001 he had to declare himself bankrupt, owing almost £200,000 to the Inland Revenue and financial companies
Charlie told how when he was working on the soap, cast members Bill Roache, 91, who plays Ken Barlow, Helen Worth, 72, (Gail Platt) and, 59, (Kevin Webster) would communicate with producers if they were not happy with a storyline.
However, he now believes the soap’s stars are nervous about voicing any concerns.
‘Our comments mattered in those days. I think people are very scared nowadays,’ he explained.
‘If we had a meeting, and somebody was not happy about storylines, we were within our rights to call a meeting.’
Charlie previously predicted Corrie may end within 10 years if it continues with its ‘woke’ plots.
