BBC wins 'Strictly Come Dancing' Italian ripoff case

A court in Rome yesterday ruled in favour of BBC Worldwide in a copyright infringement case against Silvio Burlusconi's Mediaset over the format of Strictly Come Dancing.

The BBC claimed in its lawsuit that Mediaset's new Baila! programme copied the Strictly Come Dancing format, which is sold around the world as Dancing with the Stars.

Rome judge Gabrielle Muscolo told Mediaset that it could not air Baila! with "some of the characteristics described in its written deposition," but did not disclose the characteristics in question.

An Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing has aired on public broadcast channel Rai for six years and is fully licensed by the BBC.

However, Mediaset commissioned rival show Baila!, thought to be based on a South American format called Bailando Por Un Sueno, or Dancing for a Dream.

Mediaset pulled the planned premiere of Baila! last night on its Canale 5 channel in Italy as it made last-minute changes to the format in-line with the court stipulations.

However, the company also called the court's decision "unfair and erroneous", and noted that it was made without anyone "having seen even one minute of the new show".

It said that Endemol, from which it purchased the Baila! format, had guaranteed that it was original, and vowed to appeal against the court verdict "urgently".

"While Mediaset remains convinced that its programme is absolutely unique and original, Baila! will scrupulously observe the court imposed restrictions handed down by the civil court in Rome, confident that they will be rapidly overturned," the company added.

A BBC Worldwide spokesperson said: "Our position is unchanged and our legal action in Italy to protect the Dancing With the Stars format from infringement is on-going. We do not have any further comment to make at this stage."