“The gravy train doesn’t last forever” – King opens up on heartbreaking reality
Former darts star Mervyn King has revealed he’s staring down the barrel of losing his home after being officially declared bankrupt—owing over half a million pounds to the taxman.
The 58-year-old, once ranked No.4 in the PDC order of merit, was made insolvent at the High Court in London last week following a staggering £500,000 tax debt.
HMRC’s Crosshairs
King’s financial downfall stemmed from one brutal miscalculation: he believed his career earnings were “winnings”, not “income”—and didn’t pay tax on them.
In a brutally honest interview with The Sun, King admitted the total now owed to HMRC is north of £500,000. And while losing his house would be a gut punch, it’s the fate of his three dogs – a Pyrenean Mountain Dog, a Pyrenees-Newfoundland cross, and a Golden Retriever – that really hits home.
“Tracey is worried that we’re going to lose the house,” he said.
“But if we do, we do. There’s nothing I can do about that.”
Dogs, Debt & Rock Bottom
King’s priority now? Finding somewhere safe for him, wife Tracey, and their beloved pack if the house is taken.
“The dogs are a worry,” he admitted.
“If they take the house, we’re going to have to find somewhere to live. We’ll have to take the dogs with us.”
Sleep has been a stranger to King in recent years, haunted by the looming debt.
“Over the past four or five years, I haven’t slept a lot at night, worrying about this.”
Coming Clean
In a rare show of proactivity, King turned himself in to the tax office—opting for honesty over potential prosecution.
“I made the move to contact them. I knew this was coming. It was better than them finding me and saying, ‘Excuse us Mr King, why haven’t you paid tax for 20 years?’
“Because I think I’d have been straight inside.”
Starting Again
Facing the potential loss of everything, King is resigned to the fact that this might be a hard reset.
“If it [the house] does go, then at least it’s back to square one and I’ll start again.
“I cannot turn back time, unfortunately.”
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