Eamonn Holmes reveals his tax row with ‘thieving HMRC’ has cost him more than £1million and two houses – and he still owes £250,000

by

Eamonn Holmes has shared that his tax dispute with the tax authorities has cost him over £1 million, including the loss of two properties, and he still has £250,000 outstanding.

Oh, it’s just awful what they’ve done to him! That poor man, 65 years old, is absolutely right to call HMRC ‘thieves’ – they’ve completely ruined his life! He’s lost everything, can you believe it? His beautiful home in Belfast… gone. And his little getaway place in Portugal, the one he worked so hard for? Gone too. It’s just heartbreaking to see how they’ve treated him. It’s just not fair!

Eamonn, who previously worked for channels like GB News and ITV, says tax authorities determined he was an employee of those broadcasters, not a freelancer.

After his employment status changed, the tax office asked for ten years of unpaid taxes and national insurance contributions.

Eamonn says he’s already repaid more than £1 million, but even after selling both of his houses, he still owes a substantial £250,000.

Honestly, it still gets me so upset thinking about it. He told the Belfast Telegraph that, at the absolute worst time of my life, they just completely ruined me financially. It’s like they intentionally targeted me when I was at my lowest, and the damage is still something I’m dealing with. I just can’t believe they would do that to someone!

He tried to overturn the decision twice, but both appeals failed, leaving him with substantial legal costs.

Throughout his career, Eamonn has contributed to major television channels like GB News, Sky News, ITV, BBC, Channel 4, and Channel 5. He’s also written articles for the Daily Express and the Daily Mirror.

Eamonn also pointed out that Lorraine Kelly successfully avoided comparable tax problems by claiming she was simply acting a role while on television.

He explained that he essentially plays himself as Eamonn Holmes, stating he’s the same person both on and off camera.

‘There’s no different persona with me.’

Last year, Eamonn discussed his tax issues and revealed he hadn’t received any vacation or sick leave, but emphasized he wasn’t seeking pity. In an interview with his former UTV coworker, Gerry Kelly, he explained, ‘It feels like all my hard work has been taken away.’

Responding to Eamonn’s recent tax dispute, a spokesperson for HMRC told the Daily Mail that they are committed to supporting all taxpayers. They offer assistance to those working to resolve their tax issues, including flexible payment options.

This follows Eamonn’s recent outburst on GB News, where he complained that people weren’t paying attention to his personal needs.

Recent health issues began after he had back surgery in 2022, and he has since needed a walking frame or wheelchair to get around.

I was really struck by what the actor said last month. He was talking about the big Amazon Web Services outage, but it got me thinking about something bigger – how customer service just isn’t what it used to be. He seemed genuinely frustrated, and honestly, I completely get it. It’s a problem I’ve noticed too!

The speaker then shared his frustration about not hearing back from people directly.

He told viewers: ‘Do you know what’s so annoying? 

I spent the entire weekend on the phone, and it consistently took at least 38 to 40 minutes just to reach a real person.

‘Take Apple, for instance, they will do everything to avoid you speaking to a human being. 

‘Instead, they keep you [on hold] until you want to end your life.’ 

You know, as someone who travels a lot, I’ve learned that even seemingly simple things can be surprisingly difficult. Recently, I shared a bit about the challenges I face when booking hotels because of my disability. It’s not always easy finding accommodations that truly meet my needs, and I wanted to shed some light on that side of things.

Eamonn was annoyed, saying, “It’s ridiculous! You can’t just call a hotel to make a reservation anymore. Now you have to use a website, and I really don’t want to do that.”

‘I want to talk to people and explain I’ve got special needs.

I require a bathroom equipped with grab bars to help me stand and maintain my balance while showering, but I also need complete privacy and don’t want anyone to come in while I’m using it.

‘But nobody cares.’

Read More

2025-11-13 19:19