Jamie Carragher Faces Bankruptcy Petition Over Unpaid Tax Bill

Jamie Carragher is facing a bankruptcy petition over an unpaid tax bill understood to be between £700,000 and £800,000.

Court documents seen by the BBC confirm that a case was filed on Wednesday against James Lee Duncan Carragher, the former Liverpool and England defender who has become one of the most prominent pundits in British football.

The petition has been brought by lawyers acting for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and was first reported by City AM.

Carragher and his representatives have been approached for comment.

HMRC, as is standard, refused to discuss the specifics of the case. A spokesperson said it does not comment on individual taxpayers, but underlined its broader stance on unpaid tax, stressing that it aims to work with people in debt rather than rush to the courts.

"We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans. We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort," a spokesperson told BBC Sport.

Carragher, 46, spent his entire club career at Liverpool between 1996 and 2013, making more than 700 appearances and winning the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup before moving into broadcasting.

He is now a regular part of Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage, a key voice on the Stick To Football show, and features on CBS Sports’ Champions League programming, where his analysis has made him one of the most recognisable faces in modern football media.

A spokesperson for Carragher told BBC Sport the situation is being dealt with and is close to being resolved.

"This is a private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner, and the appropriate steps are being taken today to settle it. It is understood that the matter will not proceed any further and will be resolved imminently," the spokesperson said.

For one of English football’s most familiar voices, the battle now is not on the pitch or in the studio, but with the tax authorities – and the expectation from his camp is that this contest will be short-lived.