Weber Shandwick to handle litigation PR for Brian Belo over TOWIE

Weber Shandwick chairman of corporate comms and public affairs Jon McLeod has been brought in to handle litigation PR for Belo, who is suing ITV and Lime Pictures, which makes the show often abbreviated to TOWIE.

He told PRWeek: ‘I am doing the litigation PR around the claim with Atkins Thompson solicitors.’

McLeod added that he has seeded the press interest with a piece in the FT, and followed up with the Daily Star and other coverage.

In a writ, Belo alleges breach of copyright and breach of confidence, and claims the makers have reproduced or adapted part of a format that he created with two companies, Sassy Films and Massive TV, for a show called Totally Essex.

Belo has also won the Channel 4 show Big Brother.