Kiss and tell stories have long been the preserve of magazines and newspapers with a more tabloid view of life. Readers might be recall when a former boyfriend of popstar Suzanne from Hear'Say told a newspaper that she had cheated on her boyfriend with him.

The ex-boyfriend went away with a cash-lined pocket, Suzanne was left with a red face, while readers devoured the story. Kiss-and-tell stories are a popular way for newspapers to increase sales.

This could all change, however, in the favour of celebrities.

In the last fortnight, a high court judge in Britain granted an injunction against a newspaper, which cannot be named. According to British newspaper reports, the judgement prevented the paper in question from publishing details of affairs between a successful married footballer and two women, one of whom is a lap dancer. One of the women had already tried to blackmail the footballer - for £3,000, which she was going to spend on breast enlargement surgery.

The preliminary injunction was allowed on the basis of confidentiality. The judge ruled that sexual relationships are by definition confidential and publication of the story revealing the existence of the relationships, or any details of them, is illegal. Because so many tabloid newspapers thrive on details of celebrity sex and sexual infidelity, it is believed the ruling will have a profound effect on press freedom and the privacy of celebrities and public figures.