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Mel B case returns to court

The case between Seven and Melanie Brown returns to court today with Stephen Belafonte due to make an appearance.

2013-04-03_0033The case between Seven and Melanie Brown returns to court today with manager and husband Stephen Belafonte due to make an appearance.

From what we know thus far, it doesn’t look positive for Brown and, as a result, the Nine Network.

The Daily Telegraph today publishes excerpts from emails sent between Seven’s Head of Production Brad Lyons and Brown’s camp.

“We want to be clear that should Mel become available to work in Australia during the relevant (2013) period, it is with the Seven Network,” Lyons wrote on February 26. “I am wanting to give you what you want but I would look pretty silly if we let her out and she appears on a rival network! We know this isn’t the intention and that you can see we’re trying to help you.”

Lyons had also written to Belafonte saying “to finalise the release, we agree you can do America’s Got Talent in the US so long as you don’t work in Australia during our original period … or if you do it is with the Seven Network.”

Both parties agreed last December that Seven would be the only Australian network she appeared on from February 1 this year until January 2014.

Seven should also be able to defend that it wasn’t just X Factor that was impacted by her departure but also Dancing with the Stars, where she served as co-host.

Scary spice….

14 Responses

  1. When ch 7win I hope they let Mel B gather dust I think Danni M will make a better judge on the X factor and I also hope ch 7 can make Fifi Box the next co host of dancing with the stars

  2. I hope Ch 7 looses! I know they have a contract in place etc but there should be limits to contracts they shouldn’t have so much power over someone relating to this situation regardless. I like Mel B and thinks she makes good tv I hope she powers on to AGT as I would love to see her on there, I also hope X-factor flops this year has a boring judging panel etc, prefer the Voice on 9- go the voice!

  3. This is really strange because isn’t The X Factor and Got Talent both owned by Simon Cowell (or whatever his company is)? It’s like he didn’t know what was going on between his two shows and now he is almost fighting against himself.

  4. Wow, what a mess. I loved Mel b but not anymore. Both networks would be better off dumping her as she is damaged goods. The Australian public will see her as disloyal and greedy.

  5. I won’t be watching any of the shows involved so I don’t care either way. But I reckon this will end up with Brown walking away from Australia altogether, shoving us in the “too hard” basket.

  6. This is all so Mel B. she’s made a career out of being a hot mess. But I think 9 has a lot to answer for. If all is as it seems, how is it that they signed someone and took it all the way to on-air promos without anyone checking if she was still under contract at 7.

  7. I’m in whole agreement with you Annette.

    Television has always been a sullied trade compounded by the endless knifings and persons who are morally and ethically insolvent.

    I’ve never understood the appeal of this woman but viewing this event under any set of lens doesn’t change my interpretation. Seven clearly saw something in her verified by the efforts they made to bring her to Australia and allow her to do her thing. In my view, the blink came off during her heated stoushes with Natalie Bassingthwaighte.

    What I have trouble digesting is how a network that almost folded can continue to stump up big bucks but furthermore, what makes Mel B feel she’s entitled to a supersized remuneration. In this tough climate, true Film and Television stars are taking massive cuts just to stay in the game.

    This is going to get very ugly. The good oil tells me Seven is going to have at least three or more barristers to try this case and the end result isn’t going to be any indifferent to Seven versus James Warburton 2011.

  8. In Nine’s quest to crawl back to the top it amazes me that with their knowledge of contractual agreements with talent, this potential outcome didn’t cross their minds. Or perhaps it did?

  9. Can not stand this women any more after what she has done to her former employer. Basically lied to jump ship for a reported one million dollar offer. . I will not be watching AGT if she is on it. She comes across as very arrogant .

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