Behind the scenes of one of Britain’s most familiar TV faces, a quiet storm is brewing. With courtroom whispers, mounting tension, and a decision that could reshape more than just a balance sheet, the next chapter isn’t playing out on screen — but it’s gripping all the same

Holly Willoughby’s media company has been given yet another extension to settle a £377,000 tax bill.

Roxy Media, the media production and management firm run by the TV presenter and her husband Dan Baldwin, is facing winding-up proceedings from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

The case was adjourned for 12 weeks in April in order for the debt to be paid, and in July another 12-week extension was given when a hearing heard Holly’s firm was seeking to take the case to a tax tribunal.

HMRC opposed the appeal, saying: ‘This has gone on long enough.’

Now, Roxy Media applied today for a further adjournment to await the outcome of that appeal, which has been granted by a judge.

According to the latest documents filed to Companies House, Roxy Media had ‘cash at bank and in hand’ totalling £617,086 for the year ending August 29, 2023.

This was compared to £1.37 million for the previous year.

Jon-Selous Borlace, for HMRC, told the specialist court: ‘The company said it filed an appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal.’

ICC Judge Sally Barber allowed the adjournment ‘to await the outcome of the appeal’, setting the next hearing for November 12.

A hearing at the Insolvency and Companies Court in April heard that the firm owed £377,000 in tax, which had been reduced from an unknown amount.

Willoughby set up the company with her husband to specialise in managing media clients.

Records on Companies House indicate that she was appointed as a director of the company in 2014, and Mr Baldwin in 2008.

The presenter is best known for previously fronting ITV daytime show This Morning and Dancing On Ice.

A financial expert has previously suggested that the issue could have arisen from differing interpretations of Holly’s tax status.

They said: ‘It’s possible her This Morning salary was paid into the company as freelance income, whereas the tax office may consider that she was employed by ITV and that the income should have been taxed on a PAYE basis’.

‘You’d expect HMRC and Roxy Media to have been in dialogue, so it’s possible that the tax office has issued the petition in a bid to hurry things up’.

According to its Companies House listing, Roxy Media deals with TV show ‘production activities’.

The former This Morning host set up the company with her husband to specialise in managing media clients.

Away from her TV fame, Willoughby also runs her own wellness and lifestyle brand called Wylde Moon.

Her business empire is estimated to be worth £10million and she has also worked with brands including Marks & Spencer, Diet Coke and Oral B.