A huge celebrity who once lived the high life has now admitted that they are living “hand to mouth” after declaring themselves bankrupt. Comedian Tommy Cannon, 87, who is best known as the straight man of the comic double act Cannon and Ball, previously opened up on his financial difficulties after struggling to pay a £800k tax bill.

There was a time he could afford a golden Rolls-Royce, a 33ft cabin cruiser and even a football club after his prime-time ITV show ran for nine years in the 1980s and pulled in audiences of 20 million. He and his hilarious co-star Bobby Ball, who died in 2020, were reportedly said to be earning around £50,000 a week in their prime. But back in 2017, Tommy claimed that the work had dried up, with him living “hand to mouth” for a decade and said he is now only given panto roles. In an interview, he admitted that “it had all gone off a cliff”.

He said: “I haven’t worked since Christmas. It’s all gone off a cliff. It’s embarrassing but just one of those things.” Speaking about how the industry has transformed, Cannon added: “Showbusiness changed. You’re on the back pedal all the time.”

Before Bobby’s death, Tommy shared that they still tried to find work together. He said: “We’ve still got a partnership. Me and Bobby, we’re still going – but not like we used to be. We’ll plug on.

“Hopefully something will come along and we’ll be able to pick up the pieces. But as for now, there is nothing work-wise.”

However, things began to look up slightly for the TV star in 2019 as he landed a “mystery role” in ITV soap Emmerdale. At the time he took to Twitter to announce the exciting update in his career.

He wrote: “Excited to be able to announce that I’m doing a brief stint as ‘Derek’ in @emmerdale !! Spending some time in the dales.”

The role turned out to be one of Dr Manpreet’s patients and he made his soap debut as he entered the cafe, questioning how long the iced buns had been on display. The character will die after suffering from suspected salmonella poisoning after he tries one of Rishi’s chocolate samples.

In 2024, he also confirmed that things were still back on the up for him. He shared: “I have a lot planned! I’ll be touring the UK from October, performing at Warner Hotels—places where Bob and I used to perform. I’ll also be working on my autobiography and documentary. Staying busy is essential!”