CBS sues ABC over ‘Celebrity’
CBS sued rival network ABC on Wednesday, alleging that its planned unscripted television series “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here” illegally copies CBS’ popular “Survivor” show.
The suit, filed in federal court in New York City, seeks unspecified damages and a court order stopping ABC from airing the show in the United States.
Defendants in the suit are ABC, Granada and Granada Entertainment USA. CBS is a unit of Viacom and ABC is a unit of Walt Disney Co.
In September, ABC and Granada announced an agreement to produce the series called “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me out of Here.”
The lawsuit alleges that “Celebrity,” which was broadcast in the United Kingdom in August, directly copies the “format, look and feel” of “Survivor.”
“We have not yet seen the complaint, so we can’t comment,” ABC spokeswoman Julie Hoover said.
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