BBC Breakfast's Charlie Stayt and wife avoid bankruptcy as they pay hefty bill

BBC Breakfast's Charlie Stayt and his wife Anne have narrowly escaped bankruptcy after settling a hefty tax bill with HM Revenue and Customs.

During a court hearing on Monday, it was revealed that the couple had been in debt to the tune of "£191,000-odd" but had managed to reduce this amount significantly, leaving approximately "£32,000-odd" outstanding.

The tax authority had initiated bankruptcy proceedings against the Stayts, but requested to retract the petition at the Insolvency and Companies Court in London after an agreement was reached.

Their solicitor, Anam Rezvi, informed the court: "HMRC would like to seek permission to withdraw today, as the balance has now been reduced and the remaining balance has agreed to be paid by the debtors."

Judge Sebastian Prentis consented to the withdrawal of the petition following the brief session, reports the Mirror.

Neither Mr nor Mrs Stayt were present for the hearing.

Charlie Stayt, who has been wed to Anne Frances Breckell since 1995 and shares two children with her, Phoebe and Jake, boasts a career that spans from radio to television. He hosted the acclaimed news show 'The Way It Is' on Capital Radio and has reported for both LBC and BBC Radio 5 Live before gracing the small screen.

It was previously reported that thousands of pounds was "in the red" according to documents regarding the 2023 financial year.

Their business, broadcasting firm Stayt Limited, was reported to have been served a petition back in June.

HMRC told Express at the time: "We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans. We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort."