HMRC slaps BBC staff on 'elegant zero hour contracts' with £920k tax bill

As the furore surrounding IR35 battles on, news has emerged that three BBC presenters who appealed against a £920,000 tax bill were employed under an "elegant form of zero hours contracts".

According to a tribunal at the High Court in London, Joanna Gosling, David Eades and Tim Willcox were ‘pushed by the BBC’ to set up personal service companies and accept a ‘no work no pay’ structure.

However, HMRC argue that the presenters were effectively employed by the BBC and should have paid more tax.

As a result, the three presenters have collectively been charged with a £920,000 tax bill, of which £609,000 has already been paid.