Joey Essex slapped with £300,000 tax bill after arriving home from Love Island villa
JOEY Essex has a near £300,000 tax bill and must return a £30,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan, documents show.
The Sun told in July how the star was facing a potential court battle after his performing arts company, Joey Essex Management, was served with a winding up petition.
After arriving home from the Love Island villa Joey, 33, opted to voluntarily close the firm.
But paperwork we have obtained reveal Joey’s huge tax bills.
He has to pay a corporation tax bill of £259,000 and VAT of £30,900, but he also owes £30,000 for a Covid Bounce Back Loan – given to struggling firms to help keep them afloat during the pandemic.
Joey also owes £11,250 to unnamed trade creditors.
He is returning a £780,000 loan he took from the business, which means the company will have money to cover the tax bills.
Joey has had to sign a Declaration of Solvency document stating: “I have formed the opinion that this company will be able to pay its debts in full together with interest at the official rate within 12 months.”
Accounts for the firm were several years behind – meaning he will have already faced fines from Companies House.
His three other active companies are JDE Property Limited – worth £100 – and Fusey Productions Limited and The Top TT Limited, which he set up in 2023 and yet to file accounts.
Towie star Joey was accused of being a bully towards his ex, Grace Jackson, during his time on ITV2 dating show Love Island.
But he hit back in an interview with The Sun, saying: “Am I a bully? No.
“We’re surrounded by about 85 cameras with a storyline, with a show to make. That is the reality.”
He has also been targeted by a Baby Reindeer-style stalker who bombarded him with 100,000 online messages – including apparent death threats to his Love Island girlfriend Jessy Potts.
Joey said last month: “We have had to take the decision to report the stalker to the police because the messages have started to become more threatening.
“I love my fans and want to be able to talk to them online but there has to be a line somewhere and sadly this is it.”
A representative for Joey was approached for comment over his debts.
Love Island Series 11 - who's still together?
The 11th series of popular ITV2 dating show Love Island created plenty of new couples - but not all of them have managed to go the distance.
- Mimii and Josh – Still together
- Nicole and Ciaran – Still together
- Matilda and Sean – Split: The couple, who reached the final, opted to go their separate ways just a month after series 11 wrapped. They each announced news of the separation through statements posted on Instagram.
- Jess and Ayo – Still together
- Jessy and Joey – Still together
- Grace and Reuben – Split: Grace and Reuben were eliminated just before the final. They mutually decided to call time on their relationship after struggling to make it work in the real world thanks to their conflicting, busy schedules.
- Jess W and Hugo – Split: The couple – who got together during the Casa Amor stage – split just days after leaving the villa. Meanwhile, Hugo was seen snogging former Love Island contestant Charlotte Sumner.
- Harriett and Ronnie – Still together