BBC slam £10m lawsuit after singer claims they stole her idea for make-up reality show
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The BBC have denied they copied a singer's idea for a reality show after she sued them for £10million. Singer Gladness Jukic is suing the BBC for £10million as she claims they stole her idea for the popular reality programme, Glow Up: Britains' Next Make-Up Star. The 32-year-old claimed the BBC3 show was 'stolen' from an idea she pitched to them via email in 2018. The show, which first aired in 2019, was made to find new makeup artists. Stacey Dooley hosted the first two series before Maya Jama replaced her in the third series. On the fifth series, model Leomie Anderson became the presenter.
The most recent series aired between April and May this year. Jukic, who has the stage name of Bossiie, claimed her idea was emailed to BBC commissioning editors in a nine-page PowerPoint document in May 2018, around the same time the competition was commissioned. Jukic also claimed she came up with the idea in November 2017.
Wall to Wall Media Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros, pitched for the show to be produced under the working name 'Face Off etc'. However, the singer believes she should be compensated £10million as the final show was so similar to her idea - Bossiie: 10-Minute Makeover, which had self-taught YouTuber make-up artists competing.
The BBC claims Glow Up was commissioned from Wall to Wall and started production at the same time after it was first submitted in February. BBC's lawyers have disputed the claim that the idea was 'stolen' at the High Court and are trying to get it thrown out, but Jukic is hoping to establish ownership of copyright in the programme. The artist, who wasn't at the hearing and was not represented, iis seeking summary judgment in her claim.