An actor who married two days before his death assured his new wife a fortune of £ 27.5 million

Sir Ken Dodd had the last word against the taxman by marrying his long-standing love two days before his death.

In making the connection, the actor badured that his fortune would be his wife Anne Jones, aged 77 – without paying a dime in inheritance rights to HMRC.

Sir Ken avoided 11 million pounds of inheritance tax on his estate in a final joke about the tax collector Doddy had faced in court 30 years ago.

In 1989, Sir Ken was acquitted of escaping a tax bill amounting to £ 1 million. About £ 336,000 in cash was found hidden in suitcases in the attic of the Liverpool home where he was born, married and died. [File photo]

The comedian died at the age of 90 last March after spending six weeks in the hospital with a chest infection.

Her last-minute marriage spared Mrs. Jones a lengthy court process allowing her to claim Sir Ken's fortune, the star having never written a will.

Although they only got together a few days before her death, the couple had been together for 40 years and had never had children. Sir Ken's fortune rose to 27.5 million pounds, four times more than the previous estimate of his wealth.

Rebecca Minto, a testamentary and tax expert at Slater & Gordon, told the Sun: "If you die without a will and are not married, the situation is much more complicated."

Sir Ken Dodd had the last word against the taxman by marrying his long-standing love two days before his death. In making the knot, the comedian badured that his fortune would be his wife Anne Jones, aged 77 – without paying a dime in inheritance rights to HMRC. [File photo]

If the couple had not married before Doddy's death, Ms. Jones would have had to pay a 40% tax on inheritance tax, which would have amounted to about 11 million pounds sterling.

In 1989, Sir Ken was acquitted of escaping a tax bill amounting to £ 1 million.

About £ 336,000 in cash was found hidden in suitcases in the attic of the Liverpool home where he was born, married and died. The jury learned that the TV legend had also concealed money in wardrobes, closets and under the stairs.

At his trial, which lasted three weeks, Sir Ken sparked laughter in the Liverpool Crown Court when the judge asked him: "What is a hundred thousand pounds in a suitcase? " & # 39; & # 39 Lord.

George Carman, Doddy's lawyer, told the jurors: "Some accountants are comedians, but comedians are never accountants."

After his acquittal, the actor used his legal battle as a material for his act. He jokingly said, "I told Inland Revenue that I did not owe them a penny, because I lived by the sea." the punchline: "I thought it was always the case! & # 39;

About £ 336,000 in cash was found hidden in suitcases in the attic of the Liverpool home where he was born, married and died. In 1989, Sir Ken was acquitted for evading a tax bill worth £ 1 million. [File photo]

After his trial, Sir Ken capitalized on his notoriety by embarking on a series of performances ranging from Easter to Christmas to London Palladium, using his new elements of the tax evasion case.

Never having children is one of the biggest regrets of the star, with details of her attempts with Anne to conceive the use of IVF in her trial.

He received an OBE in 1982. In 2017, he was knighted by Prince William for services to entertainment and charity, after his ninth appointment for a gong in a 63-year career.

Despite his millions, Sir Ken has never lived in luxury and was even reputed to go home after concerts in order to save money on hotel bills. Born in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, in 1927, Sir Ken was nicknamed "the last of the great music hall artists."