The legal battle between pop moguls Simon Fuller and Simon Cowell was postponed yesterday, with reports that lawyers for the two sides in the dispute might be trying to reach an out of court settlement.
As previously reported, the litigation centres on X-Factor, created, of course, by Cowell's company Syco in association with TV production company FremantleMedia, a unit of European media giant RTL. Fuller argues that X-Factor is simply a rip off of the Pop Idol format which his company 19TV created and developed around the world. Ironically, of course, it was Fuller's Pop Idol show, and its American Idol extension, that made former BMG executive Cowell so famous, putting him in the position to create X-Factor.
Fuller launched the litigation against Cowell, his companies and FremantleMedia last year when the first series of X-Factor was first unleashed on our TV screens. The lawsuit was due to be heard in London's High Court yesterday until the postponement was announced.
Cowell has described the lawsuit as "utterly ridiculous" from the start. When Fuller's company originally announced its intention to sue, Cowell's spokesman Max Clifford said that the talent show format employed by both X-Factor and Pop Idol is much older than either show, and wasn't something Fuller could claim to own. He observed: "I'm surprised that when Pop Idol started they didn't get a writ from Popstars, Opportunity Knocks, New Faces and all the other talent shows that went before it. Whatever next - will the BBC be getting a writ from Coronation Street for EastEnders? Historically in these situations I can't remember any case when the allegations have been successful, but I'm sure the lawyers will do very well".
Observers wonder what effect the litigation will have on Cowell's involvement in future Pop Idol or American Idol projects, with some suggesting the hugely successful partnership between Fuller and Cowell on the show might be at an end. That said, the legal action has been pending for over a year now and Cowell has continued to work on American Idol, so it remains to be seen if this case actually gets to court and, if so, if that will change Cowell's relationship with the show.