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15 October 2010
Issue: 7437 / Categories: Case law , Law reports
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Confidential information—Injunction against disclosure of information—Interim injunction

British Broadcasting Corporation v HarperCollins Ltd and others [2010] EWHC 2424 (Ch), [2010] All ER (D) 08 (Oct)

Confidential information—Injunction against disclosure of information—Interim injunction

British Broadcasting Corporation v HarperCollins Ltd and others [2010] EWHC 2424 (Ch), [2010] All ER (D) 08 (Oct)

Chancery Division, Morgan J, 4 October 2010

In refusing to grant an injunction preventing the actor who played “The Stig” on the well known programme Top Gear from publication of his autobiography and thereby revealing his identity, the court has found that as the information was already in the public domain there was no basis for an injunction based on confidentiality.

Richard Spearman QC and Jonathan Barnes (instructed by Alexis Hawkes, BBC litigation department) for the BBC. Hugh Tomlinson QC and Laura Prince (instructed by Davenport Lyons) for the publishers. Hugh Tomlinson QC and Laura Prince (instructed by Clarke Willmott LLP) for Mr Collins and the service company.

The claimant broadcast a well known and successful television programme called Top Gear. Since 2002, a character called “The Stig” appeared

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DAC Beachcroft—Paul Brehony

DAC Beachcroft—Paul Brehony

Commercial disputes practice expands with partner hire in London

Ward Hadaway—Maria Coster

Ward Hadaway—Maria Coster

Partner appointed to lead family and matrimonial department in Leeds

Slater Heelis—Helen Marsh

Slater Heelis—Helen Marsh

Commercial property team expands in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
SRM Recruitment has been announced as the headline sponsor of the Law Society RFC Festival of Sport 2026, which will take place on 20 September at Richmond Athletic Association. The specialist legal search firm joins the event as organisers prepare to welcome more than 110 teams across five sports, including rugby sevens, netball and five-a-side football
The civil justice landscape could be heading for a shake-up, with reform of the Solicitors Act 1974 gathering pace
Global mobility is transforming family law, creating new challenges around jurisdiction, assets and child arrangements
A series of procedural developments could have significant practical consequences for litigators. Writing in NLJ this week, columnist Stephen Gold highlights important updates ranging from digital court reforms to family procedure and admissions of liability
As family structures evolve, the law may face difficult questions about inheritance rights for those in polyamorous relationships
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