Harry Deansway, a British comedian, is facing bankruptcy after losing a copyright lawsuit against Steve Coogan's production company, Baby Cow Productions. Deansway claimed that Coogan's show 'Live at the Moth Club' copied the format of his YouTube series 'Shambles', but a judge ruled against him. Deansway is now facing a £61,000 court bill and has been ostracized from the comedy industry.
But after 20 years in the industry he is persona non grata - and ruined - all because he took on the might of Mr Coogan's BBC-backed TV empire.
Harry claimed there were at least 170 similarities between the shows - and his lawyers said these went beyond coincidences - but last week a judge found against him and left the comedian and writer on the verge of bankruptcy. Harry Deansway claimed Mr Coogan's Baby Cow Productions stole the format of his show 'Shambles', repurposing it for Baby Cow's 2022 series 'Live at the Moth Club.' He lost the case and was left with a bill that will leave him bankrupt
'The decision to take legal action against the BBC backed Baby Cow productions owned by Steve Coogan was not an easy one and much thought was given to it before embarking on this costly case that I risked everything to bring', he said. Deansway previously ran The Fix comedy magazine and was briefly comedy editor of The Guardian Guide. He also had two successful shows on the Edinburgh Fringe.
Even the judge in the High Court found that Baby Cow's show appeared to have the 'same central underlying idea'. Harry had even worked with Live at the Moth Club's writer Rupert Majendie, also a boss at Baby Cow, on the comedy circuit. Recorder Michaels last week threw out Mr Deansway's claim and has now ordered him to foot Baby Cow's lawyers' bills to a total of £61,000.
'My preparations going in included getting an independent TV journalist to assess both shows well as the expert opinion of a specialist copyright lawyer who offered to represent me. Broadcast in two series on YouTube in 2013 and 2015, it featured a blend of real life stand-up comedy with a sitcom based backstage and involving the performers.His lawyers argued that Shambles is protected as a 'dramatic work' under the Copyright Designs and Patent Act 1988 and that his copyright had been infringed by Baby Cow's 'Moth Club'.
Giving evidence, Mr Deansway said taking on such a big name player as Mr Coogan's company had dire consequences for his comedy career.
COMEDY COPYRIGHT LAWSUIT BANKRUPTCY STEVE COOGAN
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