The billionaire brothers behind gambling giant Betfred topped the rankings of The Sunday Times Tax List 2026 for the first time, surpassing musicians, entrepreneurs and sports stars.
Fred and Peter Done, who founded the Warrington-based business in 1967, paid out an estimated £400.1m in tax over the past year, according to the annual list.
It came after their tax bill climbed by almost half from £273.4m a year earlier.
Financial trading entrepreneur Alex Gerko ranked second on the list with £331.4m in tax, followed by hedge fund boss Chris Rokos, who paid £330m.
Elsewhere, Harry Styles was among the new entries to the list, in 54th place, paying £24.7m in tax.
The former One Direction member-turned-solo artist is set to release his fourth studio album in March.
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Billionaire businessman Mike Ashley ranked ninth on the list, with a contribution of £175m in tax, while entrepreneur Sir James Dyson and Nik Storonsky, a co-founder of the payments firm Revolut, also featured.
Two footballers also joined the list for the first time, with Manchester City's Erling Haaland appearing in 72nd place with an estimated tax payment of £16.9m and Liverpool's Salah believed to have a bill of £14.5m, in 81st place.
Haaland, 25, is the youngest person to appear in the tax list.
Harry Potter author Rowling ranked 36th on the list with a bill of £47.5m, and musician Ed Sheeran 64th, with a £19.9m tax payment. Boxer Anthony Joshua ranked 100th, paying £11m.
Wetherspoons founder Sir Tim Martin, 70, ranked eighth in the list with a personal contribution of £199.7m.
The list showed that the top 100 taxpayers handed over a total of £5.758bn worth of tax, up from £4.985bn a year earlier.
Many on the list, including the Done brothers, paid more tax after changes to corporation tax rates and other taxes by the government in a bid to support higher welfare spending.
Robert Watts, who compiled the list, said: "This is an increasingly diverse list, with Premier League footballers and world famous pop stars lining up alongside aristocrats and business owners selling pies, pillows and baby milk.
"This year there's been a big jump in the amount of tax we've identified - largely because of higher corporation tax rates."
Six taxpayers feature on the list despite leaving the UK over the past year, amid reports of wealthy individuals moving to avoid higher taxes under Labour, or due to non-dom status being removed.
These included Wren Kitchens founder Malcolm Healey and sports promoter Eddie Hearn.
The US president previously warned he could take military action against Iran over its killing of peaceful protesters, and its threatened mass execution of those detained in the demonstrations.
Asked by reporters as he flew to Florida if he had made a final decision, the US president said: "I certainly can't tell you that, but we do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction, as you know. I can't tell you, you know. But I hope they negotiate something that's acceptable."
Mr Trump was also asked whether Tehran would be emboldened by the US backing off.
He replied: "Well, some people think that and some people don't. And if you could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons they should do that. But I don't know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us."
General Amir Hatami, Iran's regular army commander-in-chief, struck a defiant tone in response.
He said: "Thanks Allah today we are at a high level of military and defensive readiness. We are closely watching enemies' movement in the region.
"They are under complete surveillance by us. And since we are aware of their evil intentions, our fingers are on the trigger.
"If they make a mistake, without doubt they will endanger their security, the security of their forces, the security of the region, and the security of the criminal Zionist regime."
In Tehran's parliament the mood was similarly combative, with the speaker telling the assembly that European Union military forces were now terrorist groups in the eyes of the Islamic republic.
It comes after the EU designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist faction over its bloody crackdown on protesters.
Others were more conciliatory. Ali Larijani, a top security official in Iran, wrote on Saturday that "structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing" in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
However, Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly ruled out direct talks with the US.
With tensions mounting, Iran faced two explosions on Saturday, though its government denies a military leader was targeted.
One blast happened at Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas. A four-year-old girl was killed and a further 14 people were injured.
A second blast, more than 1,000 kilometres away in Ahvaz, saw five people killed, state media reported.
After saying goodbye to his family for another week, the then 34-year-old salesman wandered into the Frog and Bucket comedy club in Manchester and, to avoid paying the £4 entry fee, signed up for the open mic night that was taking place.
Only a handful of people were in the room, his name was called to go on stage and from there, John Bishop began his career in comedy.
"I found this thing that I just loved, but I was never sure it would be a job ever," he tells Sky News.
"It took a number of years for me to build up to it and I was 40 when I left my job, so it was a completely different stage than what you see in the film.
"What you see in the film is someone who all of a sudden finds something that they never knew would be the right thing for them."
The Scouse stand-up comic adds: "I wasn't nervous when I handed in my notice because I knew I could do it. You know, the big thing with stand-up comedy is it's a meritocracy.
"You know if you're good because you make more people laugh in the room than the other acts on the bill.
"And because it's the support of the community, which again is something you see in the film, they'll push you on if you are good, people will let you know.
"By the time I was ready to leave my job, it was either stay as someone who's a decent comedian or try and make the leap and see what happens."
It was that story he recounted to actor Will Arnett when they met by chance on a barge in Amsterdam.
Joined by Mark Chappell, the three began creating what would become the new film Is This Thing On?, directed by Bradley Cooper.
Bishop was involved in the early stages of the script but took a step back to allow Arnett and Chappell make it their own.
The story, now set in America, follows Alex Novak, a finance professional who stumbles into the New York comedy scene.
'It wasn't even crickets, it was silence'
Reflecting the early stages of a comedian's journey means Arnett had to purposely create jokes that wouldn't land - and perform them to real crowds.
"It was important to us that he doesn't come out and be the Michael Jordan of comedy the first time," Arnett explains.
"There was a night that I bombed particularly badly, and what was so glaring was the contrast because I'd done the same material five minutes before and it had gone really well."
Arnett adds: "It wasn't even crickets, it was silence. At first that was really daunting and very scary, and at the same time, there's something kind of magical about bombing that much because it's so quiet and you have to stay up there and do it.
"And it's also perversely funny to you as well. You're like, wow, this is really not working."
The film isn't just about finding your correct path in life, but also taking the active decision to choose what is right for you.
Its main characters, Alex and Tess, played by Arnett and co-star Laura Dern, are shown going through the ordeal of a divorce.
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There's no pinpoint reason behind their separation, but instead the film explores their journey in finding their own passions in life.
The separation sparks Tess's own identity search as a woman who had dedicated her life to a sport she no longer plays.
Dern says the film served as a reminder to make a conscious decision to choose happiness.
"Every day we have to reignite our passion," she says.
"The luxury of having lives where - whether it's being in partnership or parenting... If we're lucky enough to have a job we actually love, even still life happens to us and you have to work to reignite your joy."
Is This Thing On? is in cinemas now.
Speaking to the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show ahead of its being shown tomorrow, Michelle O'Neill said it was an opportunity for the people of Northern Ireland to "take control of our own fortunes".
Ms O'Neill was asked if she could imagine a so-called border poll during her time as first minister, and replied: "Yes, I absolutely can."
She said: "I think my party's view is that we should have this by 2030. I think that's only a short way away.
"So now is the time for the plan and the preparation."
The first minister added: "I don't want done to the people here what was done in relation to Brexit.
"Brexit was an economic self-harm, a massive act of economic self-harm.
"It was done against the wishes of the people."
She said: "We have an ability to take control of our own fortunes. I encourage all political leaders to reach for that together."
Her remarks appear to contradict what Ireland's premier Micheal Martin has said about the referendum.
In September, the Irish prime minister (taoiseach) said "there won't be a border poll before 2030".
Northern Ireland's deputy first minister also appeared on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips and said the nationalist and republican movements in Northern Ireland have not increased their vote share since Westminster devolved power to Northern Ireland in 1998.
Emma Little Pengelly said: "I'm a unionist, we have a Sinn Fein first minister. But I think it's important to say that in Northern Ireland nationalism and republicanism haven't increased their vote from 1998.
"Despite democratic change, they're sitting on and around the same percentage that they had in 1998. I think those who want to see the breakup of the union do try to constantly get this momentum.
"I have no doubt that you will hear that again because of course to serve their purpose is to try to get that sense of momentum towards that. That doesn't exist in Northern Ireland."
The full interviews with Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little Pengelly will be broadcast on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips from 8.30am.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday shed new light on the closeness of the relationship between the disgraced financier and Lord Mandelson, who was sacked as British ambassador to Washington last year.
The documents include correspondence in September 2009 between Epstein and Lord Mandelson's husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, who asked the financier to pay him £10,000 to fund an osteopathy course and other expenses.
Epstein responds "I will wire your loan amount immediate'y" [sic].
Epstein files - latest updates
A few days later, Mr da Silva, who married Lord Mandelson in 2023, replied "thank you for the money which arrived in my account this morning".
Epstein was released from prison in July 2009, having pleaded guilty to trafficking a minor.
In separate emails, exchanged in December 2009, Lord Mandelson, then business secretary in Gordon Brown's government, appears to agree to try to change government policy on taxing bankers' bonuses.
Coming just 18 months after the great financial crash and subsequent state rescue of banks, the subject was highly contentious.
On 9 December 2009, the then chancellor Alistair Darling announced a 50% "super tax" on bonuses, intended to prevent pay being inflated by taxpayer-funded bailouts.
In an email exchange on 15 December, in which email addresses are redacted, Epstein asked Mandelson if the policy could be changed.
"any [sic] real chance of making the tax only on the cash portion of the bankers bonus," he wrote.
Lord Mandelson replied: "Trying hard to amend as I explained to Jes last night. Treasury digging in but I am on case."
Epstein responds: "let me know before jes please,,".
"Ok. They are not being helpful..." is the reply.
"they jpm. or they treasury," asks Epstein.
"Treasury" Mandelson replied.
"Jes" may be a reference to Jes Staley, the former chief executive of Barclays, who in 2009 was head of JP Morgan's investment bank and a close associate of Epstein's.
Mr Staley resigned from Barclays in 2020 after the Financial Conduct Authority launched an investigation into his conduct and the transparency of his disclosures about his relationship with Epstein.
Emails discuss career prospects and media coverage
Epstein and Lord Mandelson go on to discuss the then prime minister Gordon Brown's prospects at the election due the following May.
"gb [sic] needs help in may , not another enemy," writes Epstein.
"Or a car crash any earlier," writes Mandelson.
The email chain about Mr Brown is one of dozens between Epstein and Mandelson that reveal the closeness and length of the relationship.
Other exchanges released by the DoJ show the pair sharing regular messages about their whereabouts, making arrangements to meet in person, discussing Lord Mandelson's career options following Labour's 2010 election defeat, and joking about media coverage.
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In one, Lord Mandelson asks Epstein's view of his joining the Facebook board.
In another, Epstein sent a link to a Guardian article that proposed Lord Mandelson as a candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund, despite his having no central banking experience.
Epstein writes that he hopes the reporter "you encouraged to write this" is "cute".
"As it happens, I didn't. The Treasury did." replies Lord Mandelson.
Lord Mandelson, Jes Staley and the Treasury have been approached for comment on the emails.
Pictures released of Lord Mandelson in his underwear
In separate files, images of Lord Mandelson show the former cabinet minister in his underwear, talking to a woman wearing a bathrobe.
Sky News does not know when, where or by whom the photos were taken.
A spokesperson for Mandelson told Sky News: "No one can say who or where the photo was taken. Lord Mandelson has absolutely no idea or indeed whether it has any connection to Epstein at all."
Appearing in a photo in the Epstein files does not indicate wrongdoing.