A former elite soldier and host of SAS: Who Dares Wins on Channel 4 has been banned from being a company director after he failed to pay his taxes.
Ant Middleton, previously the boss of Sway and Starting Limited along with his wife Emilie Middleton, both 44, left large amounts of money unpaid despite making more than four times its amount over the same period.
In total, the company did not hand over more than £1million in tax but continued to welcome in £4.5million into its accounts, ‘indicating it had enough money to pay the tax it owed in full’, the Government’s Insolvency Service said.
The statement added: ‘Both the directors failed to ensure the company paid more than £300,000 in VAT and over £800,000 in corporation tax between 2019 and 2022.
‘This was despite more than £4.5 million being paid into the company’s accounts from 2020 to 2022.
‘The pair had also taken out almost £3 million from the company in the form of a director’s loan account by the time the company went into liquidation in December 2022.
‘Ant Middleton later agreed to repay £300,000 of the director’s loan as a full and final settlement with the liquidator.’
Ant Middleton , previously the boss of Sway and Starting Limited along with his wife Emilie Middleton, both 44, left large amounts of money unpaid despite making more than four times its amount over the same period
Special forces veteran Ant Middleton previously hinted that he wants to run for London Mayor. He is pictured here giving a speech at the Reform UK conference in September
Ant Middleton – centre left – spoke about raising his son to be resilient and teaching him not to cry. He is well known for giving SAS Who Dares Wins candidates a grilling on the Channel 4 programme
The Middletons have been subsequently banned as company directors for four years.
Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, said: ‘Companies not paying the tax they should deprives the government of the money it needs to pay for the country’s defence services, our NHS, schools and universities, and transport systems.
‘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.’
Mr Middleton had formed the company in September 2019, with his wife becoming a director in May 2019.
Previously known as Middleton Global Limited, Sway and Starting was set up to manage income from Mr Middleton’s television and media work and is described as offering media representation services.
The company failed to pay any of the £869,351 in corporation tax it owed between September 2019 and March 2021.
In addition, Sway and Starting only paid £267,443 in VAT out of a total £651,961 between March 2020 and September 2022, leaving £384,518 unpaid.
Meanwhile, Insolvency Service analysis of the firm’s bank accounts showed £4,592,200 was paid into the company between April 2020 and November 2022.
By the time of its liquidation, the pair also owed Sway and Starting at least £2,961,745 through their director’s loan account.
Sway and Starting went into liquidation in December 2022, with the progress report filed by liquidators begbies Traynor being the third insolvency document drawn up
Bans against Ant and Emilie Middleton by the Secretary of State for Business an Trade began today and last Wednesday respectively.
The pair and now prevented from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.
Last month, it was revealed Mr and Mrs Middleton had been forced to sell their family home as the firm’s debts built up and they faced bankruptcy.
Mr Middleton, a father of five, had purchased his property in Essex back in 2019 for £1.16million.
It was described as an ‘exceptional residence’ and ‘exquisite home’ with a standalone gym and one that the TV star would often show off in snaps on social media.
A Companies House Progress Report said: ‘During the period a settlement was entered into with the director whereby he would pay £300,000 in full and final settlement of his overdrawn Directors Loan Account.
‘The director failed to adhere to the payment plan and only one instalment was received.
‘A statutory demand was served on the Director with a view to petitioning for his bankruptcy. He subsequently agreed to sell his matrimonial home and provide the remainder of the amount owed under the settlement agreement.’
Sway and Starting went into liquidation in December 2022, with the progress report filed by liquidators begbies Traynor being the third insolvency document drawn up.
A Statement of Affairs signed off by Mr Middleton at liquidation reported monies owed by directors to the firm stood at £2.7million.
Also reported were £1.2million in tax debts – comprising £342,792 in VAT, £907,191 in corporation tax and £6,370 in employee taxes.
In addition to the sale of the family home, the progress report also revealed an ‘asset trace’ was undertaken into ‘the assets of the director’.
Sway and Starting was set up by the Middletons in 2014, trading as Middleton GLobal until September 2022.
Its original net worth was modest but an upturn in profits was soon underway, accompanied by an increase in the firm’s tax debt.