£100m X Factor battle

Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller
The Weekender

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Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller are two of the most successful men in the music world and have been rivals for more than 20 years.

Today they go head-to-head in the High Court in a £100 million legal battle of the talent shows. Fuller claims Cowell's show The X Factor is a " rip-off " of his Pop Idol. Insiders say the struggle may be so costly the Simon who loses could face ruin.

Fuller's Pop Idol featured Cowell as the "Mr Nasty" on the judging panel, lambasting wannabe stars. The talent show proved phenomenally successful, launching the careers of Will Young and Gareth Gates, and turning Cowell into a cult figure in Britain and the US, where the show was called American Idol.

Then, last year, Cowell made The X Factor. In response Fuller started legal action. In court today Fuller's company 19 TV is taking action against The X Factor producer FremantleMedia, Cowell, and his firms Simco and Syco.

Fuller, the man behind the Spice Girls and S-Club 7, will claim The X Factor copies Pop Idol's format. As well as claiming breach of copyright, 19 TV is suing for breach of contract, alleging some Pop Idol production staff went on to work for The X Factor, despite signing contracts which restricted them from working on rival shows.

The case comes as X Factor judge Louis Walsh today said he had quit the show mid-series following a bust-up with fellow judges Cowell and Sharon Osbourne. The Westlife manager's decision followed a scathing interview Cowell gave to This Morning. Cowell said: "It's hard being stupid. It's definitely not as easy as it looks. But Louis does it brilliantly." He said he was considering replacing Walsh, but could not find anyone dull enough.

Walsh responded: "I am constantly humiliated and undermined. I've had enough." Today Cowell said he could not understand Walsh's decision, adding: "I'm sorry I've upset Louis and I've apologised."

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