Television personality Ant Middleton has been banned as a director after his company failed to pay more than 拢1m in tax.聽
The former SAS: Who Dares Wins chief instructor was the director of Sway and Starting Limited along with his wife, Emilie Middleton. The company, which was described as offering media representation services, was set up to manage income from his television and media work.聽
But both the directors failed to ensure the company paid more than 拢300,000 in VAT and over 拢800,000 in corporation tax between 2019 and 2022.聽
This was despite more than 拢4.5m being paid into the company鈥檚 accounts from 2020 to 2022.聽
The pair had also taken out almost 拢3m from the company in the form of a director鈥檚 loan account by the time the company went into liquidation in December 2022.聽聽
Ant Middleton later agreed to repay 拢300,000 of the director鈥檚 loan as a full and final settlement with the liquidator.聽
The Middletons, both 44 and with correspondence addresses in Chelmsford, Essex, have been banned as company directors for four years.聽
Ant Middleton spoke at the Reform UK party annual conference in September last year (pictured), slamming the UK鈥檚 record on immigration – 鈥渘on-existent security on our borders鈥� – and the need to strengthen British culture. He warned that 鈥渃ivil unrest is coming鈥�.
Before attending Donald Trump鈥檚 inauguration for a second term as US President alongside Reform leader Nigel Farage, he hinted on X that he plans to run for Mayor of London for Reform.
PLC emerges from year-long administration as private company
Dave Magrath, director of investigation and enforcement services at the Insolvency Service, said: 鈥淐ompanies not paying the tax they should deprives the government of the money it needs to pay for the country鈥檚 defence services, our NHS, schools and universities, and transport systems.聽
鈥淎nt and Emilie Middleton had legal and financial duties as directors to ensure their company paid the corporation tax and VAT it owed. Instead, they were taking millions of pounds out of the company at that time.聽
鈥淭his disqualification should serve as a deterrent to other directors that if you do not pay your taxes while directing money elsewhere, you are at risk of being banned.鈥�
Ant Middleton formed Sway and Starting in September 2014, with his wife becoming a director of the company in May 2019.聽
The company, previously known as Middleton Global Limited, failed to pay any of the 拢869,351 in corporation tax it owed between September 2019 and March 2021.聽
Sway and Starting also only paid 拢267,443 in VAT out of a total of 拢651,961 it owed between March 2020 and September 2022, leaving 拢384,518 unpaid.聽
Insolvency Service analysis of the company鈥檚 bank accounts showed that 拢4,592,200 was paid into the company between April 2020 and November 2022.聽
By the time of the company鈥檚 liquidation, the pair also owed Sway and Starting at least 拢2,961,745 through their director鈥檚 loan account.聽
The Secretary of State for 老九品茶 and Trade accepted disqualification undertakings from Ant and Emilie Middleton, and their bans started on Monday 24th March and Wednesday 19th March respectively.聽
It prevents them from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.