Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner‘s firm has not repaid a £50,000 Covid bounce back loan – despite him boasting about the company turning over ‘millions’ during the pandemic.

The Essex businessman, who found fame after appearing on Lord Sugar‘s The Apprentice, has become the most controversial signing on Strictly this year, with his appearance being overshadowed by his revelation that he cheated on wife Sinead.

He now faces more questions over his company’s finances after it emerged one business applied for the tax-payer-funded Government loan in 2020.

Five years on, there is no record of his firm – the Fluffy Pillow Company – ever having paid the loan back, the Daily Mirror reports.

Thomas previously said that the firm and a second, named Bosh Beds, both profited specifically from the UK pandemic.

He wrote in his autobiography: ‘The company grew quickly after I finished The Apprentice and did very well thanks to massive demand during the pandemic when everyone had money to spare and plenty of time to spend in bed.’

Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner 's firms has not repaid a £50,000 Covid bounce back loan - despite him boasting about the company turning over 'millions'
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Strictly Come Dancing star Thomas Skinner ‘s firms has not repaid a £50,000 Covid bounce back loan – despite him boasting about the company turning over ‘millions’

The Essex businessman, who found fame after appearing on Lord Sugar 's The Apprentice, faces questions over his company's finances after it emerged one business applied for the tax-payer-funded Government loan in 2020
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The Essex businessman, who found fame after appearing on Lord Sugar ‘s The Apprentice, faces questions over his company’s finances after it emerged one business applied for the tax-payer-funded Government loan in 2020

The Government loan scheme was put in place to provide relief to small businesses who had been ‘adversely affected’ by Covid.

The Fluffy Pillow Company applied for the maximum loan of £50,000, with Thomas stating his business had previously been turning over £200,000 a year.

The loan rules state the firm should have started paying back in 12 months but there is no record of any payment having been made. The £50,000 is listed as being owed in accounts from both 2021 and 2022.

Companies House have since issued four notices to liquidate the firm with the outstanding debt.

During the pandemic, Thomas said: ‘I’d just moved to this lovely house. I’d bought a big car.. I had to find £1000 a month to pay for that on finance.

‘And because it was going so well, and all sudden it stopped dead, I thought. And I’ve got a baby on the way I thought, what am I gonna do?’

Bosh Beds was reportedly ‘taking £130,000 pound a week in sales, by 2021, and had 14 staff.

Thomas said: ‘I was riding a wave on the back of covid…. million-pound deals were the norm every couple of months. It was insane.’

In December 2021, he boasted: ‘Today I’ve turnt (sic) over £1.8 million pound in 1 year with BOSH BEDS!’

Elsewhere, Thomas said in an interview how the business failed when lockdown hit in March 2020, despite posting on the social media page until December 2020.

Thomas previously said that the firm and a second, named Bosh Beds, both profited specifically from the UK pandemic
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Thomas previously said that the firm and a second, named Bosh Beds, both profited specifically from the UK pandemic

Thomas previously said in an interview how the business failed when lockdown hit in March 2020, despite posting on the social media page until December 2020
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Thomas previously said in an interview how the business failed when lockdown hit in March 2020, despite posting on the social media page until December 2020

When asked if he has ‘lost his company overnight, he replied: ‘Yes… I had been taking a lot of money. I was in a state.’

Daily Mail has contacted Thomas’ representatives for comment.

It comes after the latest news from set suggests frustrated bosses are struggling to rein in the show’s most controversial signing – Apprentice star Thomas.

Earlier this month Thomas stormed out of a press conference whilst his participation on the BBC’s family-friendly flagship show has been overshadowed by his relevation that he cheated on wife Sinead just weeks after their wedding.

His political leanings have also sparked backlash across social media after he was pictured attending a barbeque hosted by US President Donald Trump ‘s number two, JD Vance – something he later called a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event.

Thomas has drawn strong criticism for X posts saying it is ‘not far-right’ to be ‘flying your flag and loving your country’, and complaining ‘it ain’t safe out there any more’ in London, saying the city is ‘hostile’ and ‘tense’.

And now, insiders have revealed that Strictly bosses have been left in a ‘tricky’ situation regarding his social media posts.

‘He’s not BBC staff so there is nothing that can be done about his social media posts other than ask his management to have a gentle word, and they might not want to,’ the source has explained.

BBC bosses have been left frustrated over Strictly contestant Thomas' social media rants, insiders have revealed (pictured with his popular pro partner Amy Dowden)
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BBC bosses have been left frustrated over Strictly contestant Thomas’ social media rants, insiders have revealed (pictured with his popular pro partner Amy Dowden)

The insider added though that it’s unlikely Thomas will be voted out of the hit BBC show early, ‘because the public tends to like controversial figures, at least at the start.’

They added that Strictly’s decision to pair him with one of the show’s favourite pro dancers will be beneficial.

‘The feeling is he’s unlikely to be among the first to go, and could actually stay in for quite a stretch. Amy has a lot of love behind her and that is sure to help him,’ the insider told The Mirror .

After making his Strictly debut on Saturday, Thomas posted another X rant, insisting he won’t be cancelled and claiming his marriage is stronger than ever, after he admitted to cheating on his wife just weeks after their 2022 wedding.

He shared an impassioned and lengthy message where he claimed he was ‘being attacked’ and was only getting ‘stronger’.

He wrote: ‘Life ain’t easy. I’ve been kicked down an called every name under the sun recently and probably some of it I deserve, as yes I ain’t always right. But since I got invited to have a BBQ with JD Vance…. its gone crazy.

‘Certain people are doing everything they can to ruin me. Mainly Faceless accounts givin it large and abusing me, hypocrites making everything political.

After making his Strictly debut on Saturday, Thomas posted another X rant, insisting he won't be cancelled
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After making his Strictly debut on Saturday, Thomas posted another X rant, insisting he won’t be cancelled

Thomas introduced his Strictly Come Dancing partner Amy to his wife and children on Tuesday as he shared a series of family snaps on Instagram
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Thomas introduced his Strictly Come Dancing partner Amy to his wife and children on Tuesday as he shared a series of family snaps on Instagram

‘Now I see people are fumin that I’m on Strictly…. and the funny thing is that the majority of them got ‘be kind’ wrote in their bios. You couldn’t make it up.’

Thomas added that his strong work ethic meant he was able to ignore the controversy and ‘graft’.

He added: ‘Let me tell you this. I won’t be cancelled. I ain’t gonna kill myself like some of you want. I’m still here. I’m still standing.

‘Trust me when I say this; I am stronger than people think. Every insult, every lie, every attack….it don’t break me, it builds me stronger. [sic]

‘I built what I got from nothing. I Slept on a pull-out bed on the floor for years cus I never had a bedroom. [sic] Weirdos write rubbish on Wikipedia about my upbringing that ain’t true, but they can’t take away what I’ve built with graft & fight. They call me a grifter, but all I do is work. Day in, day out, graft.’