View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
January 22, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Hello! given OK! to appeal against ruling

By Press Gazette

Last year’s High Court Hollywood extravaganza featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas in a battle over unauthorised use of their wedding photographs is set for an Appeal Court encore.

Mr Justice Lindsay, the judge who awarded damages to the couple and OK!, has given Hello! magazine permission to appeal both on the question of liability and the level of the damages awarded.

In November, at the end of the mammoth hearing, the judge awarded Zeta-Jones and Douglas £14,600 over the unauthorised use of their wedding pictures by Hello!.

He awarded £1m to OK!, which had bought the exclusive wedding picture rights from the couple.

Hello!’s solicitor, Christopher Hutching of the London firm M Law, said: “The appeal will consider whether a story, which has been obtained on an exclusive basis by one media organisation, should remain confidential after the publication by that organisation of the story.”

In seeking permission to appeal, James Price QC argued in court that the case raised “significant issues relating to the laws of privacy and confidence”.

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 it also raised, among other things, a question over whether a right of confidence which protects personal privacy could be transmitted by sale to a commercial publisher.

“The present judgment may have serious implications so far as the widespread practice of publishing spoilers is concerned.

“The Court of Appeal will also consider the level of damages which the defendants have presently been ordered to pay to OK! magazine.”

Zeta-Jones and Douglas were also given permission to appeal on one point. The judge in the case found that their “commercial confidence” had been breached, but now they have been given the go-ahead to ask the Appeal Court to rule that there had been an infringement of their privacy as well.

No date has been set for the hearing, but it is expected to take place later this year.

By Roger Pearson

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