TV and radio presenter Adrian Chiles has avoided a £1.7 million tax bill after winning a seven-year legal battle with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The tax authority had argued that the former One Show host was not a freelancer when working for the BBC and ITV between 2012 and 2017, and should have paid more tax as an employee.
Mr Chiles, 54, had worked as a contractor through his company Basic Broadcasting Limited since 1996. HMRC claimed he owed £1.2 million in income tax and nearly £500,000 in national insurance. However, a tribunal ruled there was 'no suggestion he set out to avoid paying tax'.
Despite winning the case, Mr Chiles will have to pay his legal fees. Contractors typically pay corporation tax at 19 per cent and national insurance at nine per cent. HMRC, which is also pursuing Match of the Day's Gary Lineker for almost £5 million, said it 'will carefully analyse the outcome of the tribunal'.
A spokesman for Mr Chiles, who hosts Chiles On Friday on BBC Radio 5 Live, was unavailable for comment. Mr Chiles has worked on BBC programmes including The One Show, Match of the Day 2 and The Apprentice: You're Fired, and fronted ITV's football coverage between 2010 and 2015.
