Barrymore faces bankruptcy

Disgraced comic Michael Barrymore is facing bankruptcy after being hit with a £1.4 million tax bill, it emerged today.

Inland Revenue officials have applied for a bankruptcy order in the High Court fearing that the fallen entertainer might try to flee the country.

According to reports they travelled to the star's home in Roydon, Essex, at the weekend where they handed him the bill through the gates.

"The Inland Revenue staff turned up in person because of rumours that he is going to flee the country and emigrate to New Zealand," a source told The Sun. "He ended up meeting them at his gates and taking the bill through the railings."

Barrymore, 51, has not worked in television since 31-year-old Stuart Lubbock died in the pool of Barrymore's home during a drug-fuelled party in March 2001.

Penniless Barrymore, whose recent one-man show in the West End was a flop, has since asked Christie's, the auctioneers, to value the contents of his home.

Tax experts said the Inland Revenue would seek a bankruptcy order only if Barrymore refused access for his possessions to be valued. He would be unable to sell his goods unless he had met his tax bill.

The comic's spokesman Mike Browne said: "I have spoken to Michael about this (the tax bill) and he doesn't wish to make a comment."

He has until May to pay the taxman - or could face the bailiffs.

who is currently suing Granada for axing him a year before his TV contract ended, fled the West End after just three performances following a series of scathing reviews. His decision to cancel the show, which was due to run for seven weeks, caused chaos and left an embarrassed Wyndham's Theatre having to refund hundreds of ticket-holders who had paid up to £38.50 to see the former TV star.

In a statement issued at the time he said: "First I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise to everyone who has bought tickets but the pressure over the last two years have taken its toll."

His one-man show was a hit after it was road-tested in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. But after lukewarm ticket sales and poor reviews he could not carry on.

Friends said at the time that he had finally realised the British public had fallen out of love with him.

The former alcoholic, who now regularly attends sessions of Alcoholics Anonymous, gave up drinking after the death of Lubbock in 2001.

An open verdict was recorded at the inquest into Mr Lubbock's death.