The front man of the 'Tax doesn't have to be taxing' advertising campaign, Adam Hart-Davis, will not be used in future HM Revenue & Customs adverts after criticising the taxman in a radio interview.

'We will not be using Mr Hart-Davis in any self-assessment advertising campaigns in the future,' HMRC said.

The department is believed to be furious with Hart-Davis, who said in a BBC radio interview that he wished tax was simpler and described VAT as 'absurdly complicated'.

He also said the merger of the Inland Revenue and Customs & Excise in 2005 was a mistake, saying the two departments were too large to 'slam together'.

Hart-Davis, a BBC presenter and historian, has fronted campaigns encouraging taxpayers to file their tax returns on time since 2002.

Further reading:

Self-assessment ad man wishes tax was simpler