Ex-Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley 'claimed £50k in furlough funds to keep her production company afloat amid the pandemic'

Ex-Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley reportedly claimed £50,000 on the government's furlough scheme to keep her business afloat amid the pandemic. 

According to the Daily Star, Catherine, 37, used the funds to help her production firm - Dreambig - from December 2020 through April 2021.

Despite working amid the pandemic - on drama Viewpoint and as a contestant on Cooking With The Stars - Companies House states that in the year until July 2019, the firm had cash deposits of £23,000.

Helping hand: Ex-Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley reportedly claimed £50,000 on the government's furlough scheme to keep her business afloat amid the pandemic pictured January 2020

The company then claimed £50,000 in furlough cash.

Catherine - as well as her husband Tom Pitfield - injected around £10,000-a-month into the business themselves - something that is allowed under the scheme.

MailOnline has contacted Catherine's rep for comment.

This comes after fellow celeb Giovanna Fletcher issued a statement with her husband Tom in the wake of the news they claimed money from the government's furlough scheme, despite being worth £8 million.

Despite keeping quiet on the matter previously, the best-selling author, 36, shared a joint note from her and McFly musician Tom, 35, to Instagram in June, with Tom sharing the same message to his account.

Dipping in: According to the Daily Star, Catherine, 37, used the funds to help her production firm - Dreambig - from December 2020 through April 2021, despite working amid the pandemic - on drama Viewpoint and as a contestant on Cooking With The Stars

Breaking their silence: This comes after fellow celeb Giovanna Fletcher issued a statement with her husband Tom in the wake of the news they claimed money from the government's furlough scheme, despite being worth £8 million

It read: 'Hi everyone, we have always had a very honest and open relationship with you all on here so we thought it was important to address questions that some of you have rightly asked us in the last 24 hours. 

'It's true that we did follow financial advice to furlough someone we employ. This was for a member of our team who couldn't carry out their role due to the pandemic, and the scheme was suggested to us as the most effective way to give them job stability and security.

'Although it was a time of great uncertainty, we clearly should have thought more about the situation and funded it ourselves.

'It was a huge error of judgement and a mistake we wholeheartedly take responsibility for and we have paid the full amount back. Gi and Tom x'

The statement also disputed the sum - which was said to be £30,000 when The Sun reported the news originally.

Statement: Despite keeping quiet on the matter until now, the best-selling author, 36, shared a joint note from her and McFly musician Tom, 35, to Instagram last month, with Tom sharing the same message to his account

Explanation: 'It's true that we did follow financial advice to furlough someone we employ. This was for a member of our team who couldn't carry out their role due to the pandemic,' the statement read

The comments were disabled under the post on both Tom and Giovanna's Instagram pages.

The money was said to have been claimed just weeks after Giovanna was crowned the champion of last year's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! after winning the hearts of viewers.

According to government documents obtained by The Sun, Giovanna and Tom received the financial support weeks after she won the show.

Since being crowned Queen Of The Castle in December, Giovanna's career has gone from strength to strength. 

Reality queen: Giovanna won the lockdown series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in December last year when it was filmed in a Welsh castle rather than the Australian jungle