Tones and I, the Australian singer known for her global hit 'Dance Monkey,' is facing financial and personal challenges. Reports have emerged that the 32-year-old artist, whose real name is Toni Watson, has been hit with a tax debt exceeding $400,000 by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). This comes shortly after news of her split from her husband of three years, Jimmy Bedford.
ATO Legal Action
According to court documents obtained by the Herald Sun, the ATO has launched legal proceedings in Victoria's County Court to recover the outstanding amount. As of April 20, Watson is said to owe $432,797.27 in unpaid taxes. The deputy commissioner of taxation stated in a writ filed this week that the debt relates to 'BAS provisions and administrative penalties.' The document claims, 'The defendant is liable to pay the amount of $432,797.27 to the Commonwealth of Australia.' It further alleges that Watson is 'liable to pay the general interest charge for each day at the end of which there was an RBA deficit debt.' BAS provisions can encompass GST, PAYG withholding tax, and fringe benefits tax. The Mt Eliza address for her company Johnny Run Away Investments, named after her debut album, has also been listed in the court documents. Daily Mail has reached out to Watson's representatives for comment.
Personal Struggles
The tax debt follows reports that Watson has split from her partner Bedford after nearly three years of marriage. The notoriously private singer appeared to have quietly parted ways with her husband, a former bricklayer and footballer for the Frankston Bombers. The couple married in a secret ceremony in Bali, Indonesia, in March 2023, but their third wedding anniversary passed in March without any public acknowledgment. In a telling sign, Watson deleted an Instagram post dedicated to Bedford on their second anniversary, which featured a photo of the pair looking loved-up in a hotel room. While the post remains on her Facebook page, it has been wiped from Instagram. Additionally, the couple has unfollowed each other on social media.
Watson announced her engagement to Bedford in January 2021, sharing a photo of the pair kissing and showing off her diamond ring. Bedford, known to friends as 'Bedders,' worked as her stage technician, following her around the world on tour. The singer's personal and financial woes have sparked debate about whether celebrities should face harsher penalties for unpaid taxes or if fame makes them targets.
