The dispute has arisen over a show called 'Million Dollar Idea', which was produced and screened in Minnesota. It ran in 2003 on an independent station, and the producers pitched a national version of the show in March last year.
However on July 13, ABC revealed that it had commissioned a series with the working title 'Million Dollar Idea'. It is to be produced by FremantleMedia North America, and Cowell has an executive producer credit on the show. FremantleMedia also produces 'American Idol', the programme that made Cowell famous Stateside.
In the ABC programme, there will be a hunt for the best new business idea or product. The winner will be given $1m worth of business support, to include "top-notch entrepreneurial counsel and physical resources", which will allow them to turn their winning idea into reality.
The original version offered prize money of $50,000 instead of $1m, but otherwise had a similar format, and relied on a panel of three judges -- as was the case for ABC's version.
According to The New York Times, producers of the original version have filed a suit in California saying that they had registered the name of the show as a trademark and copyrighted elements of the production. The suit aims to stop ABC from airing its version of 'Million Dollar Idea'.
The producers, Jean Golden and Todd Walker, have said that they pitched the idea to ABC's executive vice-president for alternative programming Andrea Wong, as well as the talent agency CAA. Wong and CAA are both involved in the production of the ABC version.
It is not the first time Cowell has been accused of stealing ideas. Rival pop mogul Simon Fuller accused Cowell of making a copycat version of the hugely successful 'Pop Idol' format, with his own talent show 'X Factor'.
'X Factor' is produced by Cowell's company Syco TV, and has been commissioned once again by ITV with auditions being held for a second series, which begins on August 20. The first show was won by Steve Brookstein.
Fox Television, which screens 'American Idol', has also been accused on a number of times of ripping off the 'Wife Swap' format with its version 'Trading Spouses', and also for producing a boxing show called 'The Next Great Champ', which NBC claimed was too similar to its own reality boxing show 'The Contender'.
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