Cowell and Fuller settle first of legal fights over Pop Idol

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October 15, 2004

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Cowell and Fuller settle first of legal fights over Pop Idol

LONDON - Music moguls Simon Cowell and former business partner Simon Fuller have settled the first round in a list of legal battles over the rights to 'Pop Idol', but the two are still battling over 'X-Factor' rip-off claims.

In London's High Court yesterday, Fuller's 19 settled a multimillion-pound battle with Cowell's music firm BMG.

BMG had accused 19 of breach of contract and claimed it tried to strike a deal with a rival record label over future 'Pop Idol' winners.

However, the entrepreneurs are involved in seven other different legal disputes. The latest is over Cowell's talent show 'X Factor', which Fuller believes is a copy-cat of the 'Pop Idol' TV show format.

Fuller, who first made his fortune managing The Spice Girls, was once good friends with Cowell. The pair are said to have fallen out after Cowell's success as the judge on 'Pop Idol', which was later exported successfully to America as 'American Idol'.

Cowell's tongue-lashings to would-be stars brought him more fame and was a ratings winner on US television.

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