Castaway Television, the production company run by Geldof with the Labour peer Lord Alli and 'The Big Breakfast' creator Charlie Parsons, had claimed that the format of 'I'm a Celebrity...', which deposits a number of celebrities in the jungle with the public voting to eject people until one is left, was a rip-off of 'Survivor', where 16 members of the public are stranded in a remote location and forced to compete for the bare necessities of survival.
Castaway had been seeking damages and an injunction for infringement of copyright against Granada and its London Weekend Television station, after saying that it "regards the protection of its intellectual property rights most seriously". However, it has now withdrawn its claim.
'Survivor' has been a huge hit in the US and is in its sixth series. However, in the UK it was less successful, with only two series of the programme, which has a £1m prize for the victor, being made.
Much more successful has been 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here'. A second series of 'I'm a Celebrity...' launches today, following the surprise success of last year's version, which saw Tony Blackburn crowned King of the Jungle after beating off challenges from Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Christine Hamilton.
The new series features Toyah Wilcox, celebrity chef Antony Worrall-Thompson; former England cricketer Phil Tufnell; the former footballer John Fashanu; and 'Changing Rooms' designer Linda Barker. It will screen on ITV1 and ITV2.
Granada made £10m selling the format of the show to the US.
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