Touché as Seven wins injunction against Mel B switching to Nine
Seven holds Mel B to the letter of her contract that she cannot appear with another network before 2014.
- Published by David Knox
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Seven has hit back hard over Nine’s signing of Mel B. for Australia’s Got Talent.
It has gone to the Supreme Court and taken out an injunction against Melanie Brown appearing on Nine.
It alleges Brown was under a conditional contract preventing her from signing with any person or company other than Seven until 2014.
Seven is smarting over Brown telling them she would not be doing The X Factor due to visa problems for her family. It is believed the father of her son, Eddie Murphy, was objecting to him spending so much time in Australia.
Seven was shocked to later discover she had signed with Nine.
Its move to thwart her actions legally is a tactical response. The court ruled Brown was “restrained from entering into or performing any agreement with any person other than (Channel 7) for her to appear on television in Australia at any time before 31 January 2014.”
It also ordered her husband Stephen Belafonte against “assisting, inducing or otherwise procuring (Brown)” to enter into a deal with any network other than Channel 7.
The court heard the Nine Network will be added as a defendant alongside Brown in the case, when it returns for further hearings on March 25.
“As the matter is before the courts, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage,” a Seven spokesman said.
Maybe Nine can go and sign Mel C instead and just claim it was all a typo?
Source: Daily Telegraph
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- Tagged with Australia's Got Talent, The X Factor
26 Responses
Mel B won’t need to spend anywhere near as long in Australia for AGT than she did with The X Factor, since there’s no mentoring role involved. If she wants to, she can fly in and out every week for the live shows, although she’d waste a lot of money. Still rather than being committed to several meetings a week with her charges plus the shows, she’ll only be committed to one taping a week – that’s a huge difference. So much cynicism around….!
10 did the same when jessica rowe wanted to leave to go to 9
Mel thought she could just do anything she wants. I thought she may still be signed with 7. Well guess what she cant just switch because she wants to do something else.
She lied about the reasons for not doing X Factor and immediately signed up to AGT for more money.
Seven has good reasons to take her to court – and win.
She’s just like all those politicians who quit citing family reasons and then joining boards or working as consultants for more money.
Hope Seven sues the pants off her.
Earthquake after the Spicegirls Mel b career was over she tried to have a solo career but it bombed
Annette – Mel B was surely not a “nobody”. Maybe you were asleep during the late 90’s but she was a big part of this group called the Spice Girls. You know, they had some hit albums and songs and even a movie. Seven didn’t make her, they won’t break her, but they may inconvenience her.
Ahh restrained of trade clause in an Australian Court being enforced, well good luck 7 but if you don’t mind I will put my money on 9…
it was seven that made her a star in this country when she came here she was a nobody a has been and now she jumps ship. i wont be watching her . there is not enough talent in this country to cater for all these talent shows . x factor and the voice will do me
Hire Mel C. She was the only Spice Girl that could actually hold a note anyway.
open your eyes people. its all been a stunt. both shows are made by the same company, they knew all too well the details of mel’s contract. and knew that this would lead to headlines, and it has worked.
Mel obviously wanted out of the X factor, and now she has done so with the maximum fuss possible, very Mel B.
This merry go round of talent shows and hosts is a mind f*&k. 7 naturally want to keep their hits in place, and X factor is one. I’m not sure how excited i am about seeing a season without Mel or Guy – they are both eminently watchable for different reasons. As others have said, a contract is a binding agreement.
As much as i think Mel B is awesome i truly believe Seven are doing the right thing here. She clearly stated she had visa issues and personal reasons for not returning to X Factor then turns around being on Australia’s Got Talent on Nine at the same time X Factor is airing. That imo is not fair to say that and Seven are in the right here not Mel B. If i were Seven i would be doing the same thing.
Similar things have happened in the past and there was no way around it. Its her own fault really. It will be a huge blow for Nine but serves them right. They signed someone still under contract. If she somehow gets around the injunction it will help Nine no doubt. Seven won’t want that happening.
I thought had a daughter with Eddie, not a son
I use do love Mel B but i am surprised she would do this to Seven as they were the ones who resurrected her career.
carolemorrissey, I’m not sure your perception of the situation is very informed. Mel B is an international icon, moreso in the US and UK, but certainly that counts for here too. And she brings in the ratings like you wouldn’t believe.
People don’t tune in to see an Aussie judge because, for the most part, an iconic Aussie is almost non-existant. You need to understand Australia still has a developing talent pool, we aren’t at an international standard quite yet.
Channel 9 doesn’t have an momentum. It may reduce their acceleration after Easter. But then AGT could be the next EDN and this may not matter.
Channel 7 aren’t worried, just pissed off that Mel B left the X Factor and saw a chance to damage the competition.
Eddie Murphy may want to be involved. Then again he may just want to extract the maximum from the child support he is forced to pay. As it turns out it was all just an excuse to get out of The X Factor.
She won’t appear on Nine if the contract is valid. And given she is a wealthy overseas performer and was well paid and weasled out of The X Factor she is unlikely to be able to get the contract voided on the grounds of restraint of trade.
as they say doesnt matter who throws the first punch its who throws the last!! 1-1
Visa problems. Is she on a 457?
This should slow Nine’s momentum just a bit.
It’s getting interesting, people.
For ch7 to take this action, they are clearly a little worried. They would know her genuine level of popularity based on the feedback they get.
I like her, sometimes she stuffs up and admits it, other times she fights her own corner strongly and then she is fair game…..think gangnam with psy. She is good value and rarely dull
Remember when Nine and Ten were in court over Jessica Rowe… she now works for seven…
This could potentially damage her image and make her look very untrustworthy and deceptive.
well, if she had a contract with seven, she had a contract with seven and they have right to enforce it.
All a bit awkward given both shows are made by the same production company and are both Simon Cowells babies.
Good God, don’t know why they bothered. I would have thought they’d be glad to see the back of her. I would have thought her contract with 7 was up since she signed on to do a show in the US. 9 should just cut their losses and find an Aussie to replace. Don’t know why they would bother fighting over her.
Mel B has 3 daughters to 3 different Fathers. I always got the impression that Eddie Murphy was only providing the financial payments. Its interesting that he would want to be so involved.