View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
April 25, 2007updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Big Brother housemate libel action is thrown out

By Press Gazette

The High Court has thrown out a libel action brought by Big Brother 4 housemate Lisa Jeynes, who claimed that she had been portrayed as a man posing as a woman.

Jeynes, 38, who featured in the 2003 series of the reality show, had sued over publications on the cover of Love it! magazine and in the News of the World, in May last year.

Her complaint focused on the words: "BB's Lisa 'the geezer'. My fake boobs fell out on date with James Hewitt!"

She said that the innuendo – against a background of rumours in 2003 that there was to be a transsexual contestant – was that she was really a man posing as a woman, a transgender or transsexual.

The one-time shop manager turned model, who was not at London's High Court, was seeking compensation, including aggravated and exemplary damages, not exceeding £150,000.

But now, Jeynes, who is currently living on benefits, faces paying costs on account of £6,750.

Mr Justice Eady imposed no time limit on the payment after her counsel, Adrian Davies, said Jeynes had suffered a "serious accident of a very unpleasant and disfiguring nature involving electric cable".

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

He said she was modelling on a set when one of the overhead lights came crashing down and she was struck in the face by a power cable.

"She is currently unemployed and unlikely to find further work modelling so her circumstances are somewhat distressing and any order for costs may be somewhat academic at this stage."

Alexandra Marzec, counsel for News Magazines Ltd and News Group Newspapers, who denied libel, had argued that the words complained of taken in their proper context could not bear Jeynes's "far-fetched" meaning and should be struck out.

She said that if rumours about a transsexual contestant were around in 2003 they had no factual basis and were not in circulation three years later in 2006.

Dismissing the action, the judge read from the article in which Jeynes revealed all about her "steamy affair" with Hewitt.

It described how, before she had her "boobs done", her top kept falling down and that she had "chicken fillets" in there.

It also described her affairs with various men, her hopes of meeting "Mr Right", and how Hewitt had told her he loved her dearly although she knew it would not last.

Marzec said that someone reading only the cover reference to "Lisa the geezer" or a related advert in the News of the World would appreciate that this related to the article – and there was no reason to suppose from the article that Ms Jeynes was anything but a biological woman.

The judge ruled that no reasonable reader could conclude that the words complained of bore the meaning alleged.

"That would be to read far too much into those words."

He refused Jeynes permission to appeal on the basis that her case had no prospect of success, although she can apply to the Court of Appeal direct.

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network