Three Loose Women stars ‘threaten to quit’ in pay row
Some of the Loose Women panel are reportedly looking to quit the show amid ongoing discussions about their pay.
It’s believed that most members of the panel are on a self-employed contract as they see themselves as freelance, meaning the stars only have to pay 19% on their earnings, but ITV are now reportedly asking some to go on a PAYE contract.
Some of the regular faces seen on the show include Ruth Langsford, Kaye Adams, OK! columnist Judi Love, Coleen Nolan and Brenda Edwards.
Compared to the 19% tax on a freelancer pay, some of the panel will now face paying an eye-watering 40% on their income if they move over to a more permanent PAYE contract.
The 40% applies to earnings between £50,271 and £150,000, plus National Insurance.
A source told The Mirrorthat most members of the panel have been freelance “for decades”, so ITV’s recent request has ruffled some feathers.
“They have all been self-employed for decades. Their accountants are saying no, they are self-employed… and are not going to go on PAYE,” the insider said.
“They’re so strict about it and we’re talking about the big players.”
ITV are reportedly looking at each person’s contract “on a case-by-case basis” and the changes have been explained to all those concerned.
It remains unclear who the big names are that are threatening to walk away from the show.
An ITV spokesperson said: "ITV complies with HMRC legislation when assessing the tax status of individuals.
"ITV will not comment on or disclose any individual's specific circumstances."
The reports about the Loose Women panel come as former ITV star Eamonn Holmes was facing a tax bill of a staggering £250,000 in recent years.
Eamonn argued that he was a freelancer, rather than a contracted employee.
“In 2018, they [HMRC] came knocking at my door, claiming my former jobs at Sky News, GMTV, Channel 5 and This Morning were staff jobs rather than self-employed. They wanted 10 years’ backdated National Insurance,” the former This Morning host said at the time.
“To go back a decade to try and get the money that you’ve already spent? “I don’t care how much you earn, you spend it. It was gone.”
In a recent development last month, it was revealed that Eamonn is challenging a tribunal ruling that concluded he should be treated as an ITV employee for tax reasons when he presented This Morning.
The broadcaster previously brought a case against HMRC over the income tax and national insurance the body said was due on the money ITV had paid to Eamonn's company Red, White and Green Limited between 2012 and 2015.
In 2020, a specialist judge at the First Tier Tribunal ruled that Eamonn counted as an ITV employee for income tax purposes, rather than being self-employed, and would therefore fall under the off-payroll rules.
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