Money matters

In 1989, Ken Dodd was acquitted by a Liverpool jury after facing 11 charges of tax evasion in a trial lasting three weeks. He was defended by George Carman; the prosecuting counsel was Brian Leveson. The judge, Sir Ronald Waterhouse, asked Ken "What does a hundred thousand pounds in a suitcase feel like?" Dodd replied "The notes are very light, M'Lord."

The case has provided Ken with many a line ever since.

 “Good evening, my name is Kenneth Arthur Dodd; singer, photographic playboy and failed accountant.”

“They still write to me you know... the little brown envelopes, those dreaded brown envelopes. They sent me a Christmas card saying: 'It is more blessed to give than it is to receive' ".

"I told the Inland Revenue I didn’t owe them a penny because I lived near the seaside ."

"Did you know, income tax used to be tuppence in the pound. My trouble is, I thought it still was."

"I thought it would be a good idea to go into politics, maybe I am a little old... but you know... I'd love to be Chancellor of the Exchequer - That way I'll be united with my money!"

“They sent me a self-assessment form the other day. To me! I invented self-assessment.”

"I've paid more tax in one year than most people pay in their lifetime."

"What a lovely day, what a lovely day for throwing a stone through the Inland Revenue's window and shouting, 'Get blood out of that you bastards!'"