Kate wins apology from Grazia
Download a PDF of the Statement In Open Court
Download a PDF of the Press Release
Kate Winslet issues libel proceedings against Grazia
Selection of online press coverage
Winslet wins payout over 'diet doctor' story - The Telegraph
Kate Winslet Wins Libel Damages over Diet Claims - People
Winslet accepts libel settlement - The BBC
Front page - The London Paper
Kate wins payout on diet slur - The London Paper
Online version of above story - The London Paper
On 13 February, Kate Winslet issued libel proceedings against Grazia.
Now, on page one of Grazias edition of 5 March, they have apologised. They have also agreed to pay her substantial damages and her legal costs.
Rachel Atkins, of Schillings, her solicitor said in court today that:
[Grazia] stated [in their article]...that Kate had approached a doctor for help with her weight despite the fact that she has previously said that she will not bow to Hollywood pressure of being skinny. The article suggested that she had lied to the public when she had said that she refused to bow to [that] pressure and celebrated her curves. The true position was that she did receive treatment from [the doctor] for a neck injury but she did not go to him seeking any treatment for weight loss [Grazia] agreed to apologise...and to pay damages...together with her costs
In the apology Grazia said:
SORRY KATE!...we are satisfied that she did not go to [Dr Pan] seeking any treatment for weight loss. We are very happy to set the record straight and sincerely apologise to Kate for the distress caused.
Kate said last night:
"I am delighted that this matter has been resolved, and the record set straight. I am not a hypocrite. I have always been, and shall continue to be, honest when it comes to body/weight issues. 'Grazia' magazine have apologised to me in full, and admitted that their story was incorrect, which gives me tremendous peace of mind. I feel very strongly that 'curves' are natural, womanly and real. I shall continue to hope that women are able to believe in themselves for who they are inside, and not feel under such incredible pressure to be unnaturally thin. I am donating the 'damages' given to me by 'Grazia', to an eating disorder charity.
For further information please contact the following solicitors to Miss Kate Winslet with conduct:
Keith Schilling
Partner, Schillings
keith.schilling@schillings.co.uk
Rachel Atkins
Partner, Schillings
rachel.atkins@schillings.co.uk
PR enquiries to:
Sara Keene
Premier PR
91 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0NE
Tel. 0207 292 8330
sara.keene@premierpr.com
The full text of the apology is set out below
SORRY KATE! In Grazia issue 102 we published in good faith an article about Kate Winslet in which we wrongly said that Kate had approached a doctor for help with her weight, despite the fact that she has previously said that she will not bow to Hollywood pressure of being skinny. In the article, Dr Yi Pan discussed the treatments he offered to Hollywood A-listers at his Chinese Healing Institute in California and was quoted as saying he had helped Kate with her weight despite the fact that this was not true. As we reported, although the rest of Hollywood appears to bow to the pressure of being skinny, Kate has always made it clear that she celebrates her curves. It has been pointed out to us that our article, therefore, suggested she had been lying to the public when she said this. We are happy to make it clear that our article was not intended to suggest any such thing. We want to make it clear that Grazia had nothing but admiration for Kate who, in between starring in some of our all-time favourite films, has taken an admirable stance (as do we!) against the pressures on women to diet excessively. Kate has found Chinese medicine effective in the past and did receive treatment from Dr Pan but we are satisfied that she did not go to him seeking any treatment for weight loss. We are very happy to set the record straight and sincerely apologise to Kate for the distress caused and are making a donation to a charity of Kates choice.