Strictly star Thomas Skinner's firm still owes £50,000 Covid loan

A £50,000 Covid Bounce Back Loan remains unpaid by the Fluffy Pillow Company, a business linked to Essex entrepreneur Thomas Skinner, who is competing on this season of Strictly Come Dancing. The loan was issued under a government program designed to help small firms affected by the pandemic, and repayment was required to begin after 12 months. There is no record of any repayment having been made to date, according to accounts that show the debt as outstanding in 2021 and 2022.

The Fluffy Pillow Company applied for the maximum loan available under the scheme in 2020, with Skinner indicating the business had previously been turning over about £200,000 a year. The government’s loan rules stated that repayments should have started within 12 months of the loan’s issue, but the firm’s books show the £50,000 remains unpaid. Companies House has since issued four notices to liquidate the company, underscoring the financial pressure surrounding the business and the unresolved debt.

During the pandemic, Skinner publicly claimed his enterprises benefited from the crisis. He described the period as a wave of opportunity for his ventures, saying both the Fluffy Pillow Company and a second business, Bosh Beds, profited from the surge in demand as households faced lockdown. The Daily Mirror reports that Skinner wrote in his autobiography that the company grew quickly after he finished The Apprentice and did very well thanks to “massive demand” during the pandemic when people had money to spend in bed. He has repeatedly tied his business success to pandemic-era conditions.

In parallel with the loan disclosures, Skinner has been its own source of controversy. The Daily Mirror notes that, in December 2021, he boasted on social media and in interviews about turning over substantial sums with Bosh Beds, including claims of weekly sales figures and year-end totals. One post cited turnover of £1.8 million in a single year for Bosh Beds. The narratives around both firms contrast with the loan’s formal records, which show no repayment and debt carried into subsequent years.

The Bosh Beds figure was reportedly impressive in its own right: the company was described as taking about £130,000 a week in sales by 2021, with 14 staff. Skinner framed those successes as emblematic of a Covid-driven boom, asserting that million-pound deals became the norm during the period when many households spent more time at home and invested in beds and related products. He also described the pandemic as having a lasting impact on his business trajectory, even as parts of his story raised questions about the sustainability of those gains as lockdowns eased.

The latest reporting also notes Skinner’s broader public profile, including personal revelations that have clouded his image as a reality TV contestant. The Daily Mirror reports that he admitted to cheating on his wife, Sinead, weeks after their wedding, a disclosure that has fed scrutiny of his private life alongside his business claims. Critics and observers within the entertainment industry have pointed to the pairings and public statements around his social media activity as sources of ongoing interest.

BBC insiders familiar with Strictly Come Dancing say the show’s bosses are navigating a tricky situation. Because Skinner is not BBC staff, there are limits to what producers can discipline him over his social media posts; they have reportedly asked his management to issue a “gentle word” rather than pursue formal action. Still, the internal view is that he is unlikely to be among the first to leave the competition, partly because his pairing with a popular partner, Amy Dowden, could help sustain interest in his run on the show.

As of now, representatives for Skinner have not offered a public statement addressing the outstanding loan, and the Daily Mail notes that it has reached out for comment. The unresolved £50,000 debt sits alongside the more sensational public narrative surrounding Skinner’s businesses and his appearance on a high-profile BBC program. The situation underscores the way public figures’ commercial ventures and personal disclosures can intersect with financial accountability, especially when loans issued during a national emergency are not repaid and government-backed schemes are subject to renewed scrutiny.

Overall, the case presents a portrait of a businessperson who rode a wave of pandemic demand while later facing questions about the durability of those earnings and the honesty of public statements about revenue. The unpaid Bounce Back Loan remains a concrete, verifiable obligation tied to the Fluffy Pillow Company, even as Skinner continues to navigate the spotlight of Strictly, personal revelations, and ongoing media attention on his business claims.