'SAS: Who Dares Wins' star Ant Middleton disqualified as a company director

Ant Middleton, the television personality and adventurer known for his role as chief instructor on SAS: Who Dares Wins, has been banned from serving as a company director. The ban comes after his company, Sway and Starting Limited, failed to pay more than £1 million in taxes.

Key facts of the case

  • Unpaid taxes: Middleton's company failed to pay over £300,000 in VAT and over £800,000 in corporation tax between 2019 and 2022.
  • Company funds: Despite owing these taxes, more than £4.5 million was paid into the company's accounts between 2020 and 2022.
  • Director's loan account: Ant Middleton and his wife, Emilie Middleton, also took almost £3 million out of the company through a director's loan account by the time it went into liquidation in December 2022.
  • Liquidation: Sway and Starting Limited entered liquidation in December 2022.
  • Settlement: Middleton agreed to repay £300,000 of the director's loan as a settlement with the liquidator.
  • Disqualification: Both Ant and Emilie Middleton have been banned as company directors for four years.

Details of Sway and Starting Limited

Middleton formed Sway and Starting in September 2014, with his wife becoming a director in May 2019. The company, previously known as Middleton Global Limited, was described as offering media representation services and managed income from Middleton's television and media work. However, it did not pay £869,351 in corporation tax between September 2019 and March 2021. Of the £651,961 it owed in VAT between March 2020 and September 2022, only £267,443 was paid, leaving £384,518 unpaid.

The Insolvency Service's stance

Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, emphasised the importance of companies paying their taxes to fund public services. He said the Middletons had neglected their financial duties as directors by not paying the owed corporation tax and VAT, and instead taking millions of pounds out of the company. Magrath said the disqualification should act as a warning to other directors.

Restrictions

The disqualification prevents Ant and Emilie Middleton from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company without the court's permission.

Summary

Ant Middleton and his wife have been banned from being company directors for four years after their company, Sway and Starting Limited, failed to pay over £1 million in taxes. The Insolvency Service handed down the ban as a consequence of the Middletons prioritising taking money out of the business while neglecting their tax obligations.