Simon Cowell has spent many an interview reiterating the fact that all is copacetic between his new show and his former show, but a new, ugly lawsuit between the two singing-competition series might change his tune.
Simon Fuller, the creator of American Idol, has filed the suit against Fox and production company FremantleMedia for fees stemming from the upcoming Stateside debut of his British hit The X-Factor — on which Cowell is the marquee judge and for which he left Idol.
Fuller claims that Fox and Fremantle are breaching a contract signed back in 2005 stating that if and when X-Factor came to America, he would be in line for a hefty fee and exec producer credit.
The network and production company issued a joint statement in regard to the suit: “Mr. Fuller has not been hired, nor performed any duties, on the U.S. version of The X Factor. His suit seeks payment and credit as an executive producer despite his neither having been approved by the required parties, nor hired, as such. We believe this lawsuit is without merit and we expect to prevail.”
To which Fuller’s camp (read: lawyer) replied: “Fox’s position that Fuller’s claim lacks merit because the parties have not “approved” him as executive producer is absurd. … Fox is contractually obligated to approve Fuller as executive producer and compensate him accordingly, and it is because of the breach of the 2005 binding agreement that the case was filed. Fox appears to be admitting openly that they have failed to honor the contract terms.”
Things could get really nasty, but Fox would presumably love to have reached some sort of settlement before The X-Factor premieres in September.
Source: Deadline
