John Torode's businesses collapsed after racking up eye-watering debts

Daily Mirror

17-07-2025

Two of John Torode's businesses had previously gone bankrupt, owing over a staggering £160,000 to creditors, years before he was axed by the BBC
As John Torode prepares to launch legal action against the BBC, it's emerged that two of his businesses collapsed in the last decade. The TV chef, 60, was recently fired from the BBC 's MasterChef following complaints he used racist language, which he denies and says he has no recollection of doing so, and has since vowed to take legal action.
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It comes after two of his TV production firms sank in the last nine years, owing over £160,000 to creditors. Marcel Ltd, which was named after his son from a previous marriage, was dissolved in December 2019.
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The company went bust three years prior, racking up debts of £104,219. Marcel was wound up in a voluntary liquidation with creditors, meaning a business is closed as it cannot pay the debts it owes.
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The statement of affairs for the business, filed to Companies House, showed it owed £36,388 to HMRC, a further £13,950 to trade creditors, and an additional £53,881, to another firm which was owned by John.
Toad Productions Ltd, the firm that was owed money by Marcel Ltd, also went under at the same time. John also owed £55,000 for an overdrawn director's loan account. The liquidator's report says that following meetings with Torode and his accountant, a decision was made for him to pay back £33,348 – which he did over a six month period.
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After £23,000 liquidator fees, there was enough to pay £9,890 to creditors, which is 9.37 pence in the pound. According to Companies House, Toad Productions Ltd was wound up in August 2016 and eventually dissolved in February 2021.
It owed a total of £58,203, with £54,603 to HMRC and a further £3,600 to trade creditors, according to the Statement of Affairs. Liquidators were able to secure £8,500, but after paying their fees, there was nothing left for the creditors, according to the Daily Mail.
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Currently, John's only active business, Caspar 10 Ltd, filed its accounts this week. Caspar is the name of his son, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Jessica. The documents show its reserves increased by £40,132 from the previous year, and now stand at £47,351.
The business owes a staggering £93,523 to creditors. However, John didn't feature in the BBC's recent rich list, which documents their highest earners as he is part of the commercial branch of the corporation – BBC Studios, so it is unknown how much he earns from them.
This week John vowed to take legal action against the license fee payer-funded corporation, after he was sacked from MasterChef. Torode said he had "no recollection" of using the racist term - and in a statement, told how he'd only found out his contract had been terminated after the Beeb and producers Banijay put out the news. Now sources close to the star say he's speaking to employment lawyers as he fights to "clear his name."
"John is preparing to launch the lawsuit against the BBC," the source told the Mirror. "He wants to pursue them for unfair dismissal. He's telling people there is no proof of his supposed comment. It was not in a work capacity; it was just hearsay. John is determined to clear his name."
The Australian star continues to insist he had no knowledge of the "offensive" comment he was accused of making, despite lawyers Lewis Silkin upholding the complaint, said to be from 2018 in their independent investigation into the series.