Coronation Street star Simon Gregson has been spotted for the first time since revelations about his £252,000 loan repayment crisis emerged.
The actor, who plays Steve McDonald in the long-running soap, was seen near his Cheshire home on Friday, standing next to a ‘for sale’ sign amid snowfall.
The sighting comes after reports that the 50-year-old could be forced to sell his family home if he fails to repay a substantial loan taken from his production company.
Official documents reveal Gregson and his wife Emma must repay Simon Gregson Productions £1,500 monthly.
The couple have been given three years to settle the £252,824 debt, with the paperwork stating: “The Director had an overdrawn loan account of £252,824. The analysis also revealed that this money was removed from the Company’s bank account and paid into Mr Gregory’s joint bank account.”
If they fail to meet the repayment terms, they will be required to sell their family home.
The actor has three years to pay off the staggering loan
ITV
Despite court documentation referring to Emma as Simon’s “estranged wife”, sources close to the couple have firmly denied any separation.
“Simon and Emma have not split and are still very much together,” a source told the Daily Mail. “Simon has no idea why Emma is listed as his ‘estranged wife’ in financial paperwork.”
The couple, who have been married for 14 years and share three sons, continue to maintain their relationship, with Emma running Morley Tea Rooms in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
The actor was seen braving the winter weather, wrapped in a thick grey coat with fur hood, black gloves and a Stussy cap.
The actor could be forced to sell his home if he doesn’t pay it back in time
ITV
Gregson appeared to be putting out a wheelie bin before rubbing his hands together in the cold.
The sighting follows the 2023 liquidation of Simon Gregson Productions Ltd, which owed £165,000 to HMRC and Coutts bank for a Covid bounceback loan.
Last year, he attempted to settle some debts by selling office equipment and offering £6,000 in cash.
Gregson has portrayed Steve McDonald since joining Coronation Street in December 1989 at the age of 15, becoming a household name in the process.
He currently commands a reported salary of £150,000 from the soap.
The actor previously earned £250,000 for his runner-up appearance in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2021, where he openly admitted participating because “the money is good.”
The star admitted he took part in I’m A Celebrity due to the staggering amount he was paid
ITV
“Enough to get me out of trouble,” he told hosts at the time, describing his payment as “a solid gold diamond goblet.”
Gregson isn’t the only ITV soap star who has found themselves in financial trouble as actor William Roache – who plays Ken Barlow – also previously faced bankruptcy.
