Strictly favourite Kelvin Fletcher was let off an £80,000 tax bill months before signing up for the hit BBC dance show.
It was written off when his firm Kedbray Ltd was liquidated in April.
Kelvin, 35, who starred in TV soap Emmerdale for 20 years, said he was unable to pay up because he was hard-up and jobless.
But now that the dad of two, who lives in a £600,000 house, has wowed Strictly fans, rewards could flood in.
He had owed VAT and corporation tax.
A source said: “Kelvin told them he couldn’t pay and his firm was dissolved.
"He had no means to pay.”
Publicly available documents show Kedbray was wound up and £24,800 he did pay in went on dissolving the firm.
The liquidators final report said: “Mr Fletcher is still not in employment therefore is there is no prospect of an increased offer at present.”
Kelvin - who played fan favourite Andy Sugden - left the ITV show in 2016 to pursue other roles and motor racing.
Driving a £200,000 supercar, he made a name in the car world.
But it went quiet on the acting front.
Despite talks with companies in LA nothing materialised.
In October 2015 Kelvin met liquidators over monies owed by Kedbray.
His actions as a director led him to being banned from running a limited company for six years.
Kelvin came on Strictly to replace crocked Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing.
Kelvin’s tipped to bag a huge West End role off the back of Strictly.
