Keira Knightley issues libel proceedings
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The actress Ms Keira Knightley has today issued libel proceedings through her lawyers Schillings against Associated Newspapers, the publishers of The Daily Mail. The legal proceedings will concern an article published on 11 January 2007 which carried a photograph of Ms Knightley, taken without her consent, whilst wearing a bikini and relaxing on a beach on holiday. The article made reference to what it perceived to be Ms Knightleys very slim appearance. The article then reported the recent, tragic death of a teenage girl who suffered from anorexia and contained an interview with the girls mother.
We wish to make clear that Ms Knightley has the deepest sympathy for the girls family.
However, Ms Knightley has publicly denied suggestions that she might be anorexic or have a similar eating disorder, including in a prominent way at a well publicised press conference to mark the European premiere of Pirates of The Caribbean 2, in London last Summer. Accordingly, in the proceedings, Ms Knightley will argue that the Mails article suggests that she has dishonestly sought to mislead the public about whether she has anorexia or similar eating disorder and will show that she does not have anorexia; and further will challenge the suggestion that she is responsible and to blame for the tragic death of the teenage girl by setting a bad example. The case is expected to go to Jury trial in Londons High Court in late 2007/early 2008, if it does not settle earlier.
For further enquiries please contact the following lawyer with conduct:
Simon Smith
Partner, Schillings
Tel: +44 (0) 207 453 2500
Mob: +44 (0) 7712 183996
Email: simon.smith@schillings.co.uk
Background Note
- Ref Mail article 11/01/07 If Pictures Like This One of Keira Carried A Health Warning, My Darling Daughter Might Have Lived
- Mr Smith in recent months represented actress Kate Hudson in her successful libel proceedings against the National Enquirer over an allegation of an eating disorder. See Damages For Hudson Over Pictures, 20 July 2006