Eddie Irvine wins damages case

Formula One racing star Eddie Irvine was today awarded £25,000 (€36,260) damages against a radio station he accused of exploiting his celebrity image without his permission.

The award, by the Court of Appeal in London, also relieved Irvine of liability to pay an estimated £300,000 (€435,000) costs bill which he had faced following a High Court hearing a year ago.

In the High Court, Irvine successfully sued Kelvin MacKenzie’s TalkSport over its use of a doctored photograph of him on the front of an advertising brochure, which gave the impression he was endorsing the station.

But he was awarded only £2,000 (€2,900) damages – assessed by Mr Justice Laddie as representing a “reasonable endorsement fee”.

Because the award fell short of the £5,000 (€7,250) out-of-court settlement offer made by TalkSport, he was ordered to pay the defendant’s legal costs as well as his own.

Today, three appeal judges rejected TalkSport’s argument that it was not liable to pay any damages and agreed with Irvine’s lawyers that the High Court award was far too low.