Former star has been banned from being a company director after his business failed to pay more than £1million in tax. The 44-year-old and his wife Emilie were found to have withdrawn millions from their company, Sway and Starting, when, according to The Insolvency Service, they should have been settling their tax bill.

The couple's media representation firm went into liquidation in 2022 after racking up a debt of £300,000 in VAT and £800,000 in corporation tax. The company had brought in £4.5 million in revenue between 2020 and 2022, indicating Ant and Emilie had the funds from Sway and Starting to cover its tax obligations. Instead, the pair took out a £3 million directors' loan from the company. Both Ant and Emilie have now been disqualified as company directors for four years. The Essex-based couple have not commented on the ruling.

Director of investigation and enforcement services at The Insolvency Service, Dave Magrath, said: "Ant 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. This 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."

Ant had agreed to repay £300,000 of the directors' loan under a settlement plan with the liquidator. However, after making an initial payment, he failed to continue and instead put the couple's home on the market to try and raise the remaining amount. The former United Kingdom Special Forces soldier was best known for his role as the chief instructor on the gruelling reality series SAS: Who Dares Wins.

He left the show in 2021 after Channel 4 cited concerns over his "personal conduct off camera", with reports suggesting he had made inappropriate comments to a staff member. At the time a spokesperson from the channel : "Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins. Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again."

While Ant released a positive statement about leaving the show, thanking Channel 4 for "five incredible years", he later went on to for being "a bit too PC for me". He added: "I can't be myself, I have to suppress a part of me to fit in which I don't like doing, which I won't do as you've seen."