RTÉ AND a newspaper columnist have been sued for damages after an allegation was made that they stole the idea for the television show Celebrity Bainisteoir.
Patrick Kinsella, Callowhill, Newtown, Wicklow, claims he presented an original idea for a show to be called Top Coachor Top Teamin August 2007 and later discovered Celebrity Bainisteoirwas broadcast in November of that year.
Mr Kinsella told Mr Justice George Birmingham yesterday he submitted copies of his idea to the State broadcaster in August 2007 and also took his idea to another production company who told him the concept was quite good.
He said RTÉ commissioning editor Gráinne McAleer told him his idea was a “non-runner unfortunately”. He said he also went to TV3 but was told its budget would not allow for the show which he said it described as “very interesting”.
The case is against RTÉ, Ms McAleer, RTÉ producer Alice O’Sullivan, described as a member of the RTÉ commissioning group at the time, and Fiona Looney, a writer and columnist with Associated Newspapers. The defendants deny the claims against them.
Ms O’Sullivan, now producer of Ryan Tubridy’s 2fm radio show, said she was in August 2007 a member of an RTÉ commissioning group and recalled attending a meeting with Ms McAleer and Mr Kinsella at that time.
She said Ms McAleer explained to Mr Kinsella that Celebrity Bainisteoirwas already in production and was about to go out on air. Ms McAleer had explained to him the commissioning process involved and had repeated this a number of times during the meeting which lasted about 20 minutes, she said.
Mr Kinsella seemed “perfectly fine” with that, she added.
The State broadcaster has claimed Celebrity Bainisteoirwas first presented to it in 2004 from Setanta TV but was rejected. The idea was later presented by a different production firm in 2005 and approved in October 2006.
The hearing continues.