Douglas v Hello! Ltd

Ltd [2005] EWCA Civ 595 was a series of cases in which Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones challenged the unauthorised use of photographs of their wedding in the English courts.

magazine which would give the company exclusivity over their wedding which took place in 2000 at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

In order to ensure the exclusivity there was strict security of the event and no guests were allowed to take photographs, the event was closed to the media and guests were told to surrender any equipment which could be used to take photographs.

[3] In Douglas v Hello No 1 [2001] 2 WLR 992 the Douglases attempted to gain an injunction to prevent the publication of unauthorized photographs.

[4] In the judgment Brooke LJ restated the three requirements for there to have been a breach of confidence.

Brooke LJ ruled that the couple could not expect privacy at a wedding with 250 guests.