Coronation Street legend Philip Middlemiss ‘declared bankrupt a second time’
Coronation Street legend Philip Middlemiss has been declared bankrupt for a second time, according to reports.
The 62 year old actor, who portrayed Des Barnes on the ITV soap from 1990 to 1998, has reportedly faced financial difficulties once again.
During his stint on the cobbles, his character was wed to Denise Welch’s Natalie Horrocks and met a heroic end whilst protecting his stepson Tony Horrocks from a dangerous drugs gang.
Middlemiss has encountered money troubles since departing Weatherfield – wiping out his life savings during an unsuccessful film venture in the early 2010s.
Reports now suggest he has been declared bankrupt once more after struggling to meet tax obligations, reports the Mirror.
According to The Sun, HMRC pursued the actor through the courts and he was declared bankrupt following revelations he owed “a hefty five figure sum” in outstanding tax bills.
The Mirror has approached a representative of Middlemiss for comment.
This latest setback arrives 13 years after he filed for bankruptcy in 2012 when his movie-making ambitions collapsed spectacularly.
He had been personally financing the production, but his resources were exhausted before filming could be completed.
He previously told the Manchester Evening News: “It was partly-funded by myself but I didn’t have the money to fund the rest of the film.
“Filming came to a grinding halt. It was nearly three-quarters of the way along the line. It has been a difficult time. Three-and-a-half years is a long time to fund myself without any income. I have had to get money from family and friends.”
Beyond his Corrie stint, Middlemiss’s television appearances have featured portraying David Buckley in the ITV series Where the Heart Is, spanning from 2000 to 2006.