Kate Winslet in libel win
3 November 2009
Download PDF of Statement in Open Court
Download PDF of press release
Kate Winslet, represented by London law firm Schillings, has won her libel action against the Daily Mail in response to an article which falsely alleged that Miss Winslet had publicly lied about her exercise regime.
On 30 January 2009, the Daily Mail published an article with the headline “Should Kate Winslet win an Oscar for the World’s most irritating actress?”, the article was published just three weeks before the famous Academy Awards Oscar evening on 22 February 2009. The article contained a defamatory and untrue allegation that Miss Winslet had publicly lied about her exercise regime.
In order to protect her reputation and defend her own integrity surrounding body/weight issues Miss Winslet took legal action by issuing libel proceedings against Associated Newspapers, the publishers of the Daily Mail.
In response to those proceedings, the Daily Mail accepted that the allegation it made was completely false and that it had no defence to the subsequent legal proceedings brought by Miss Winslet. In addition to agreeing to print an apology The Daily Mail also agreed to pay substantial damages of £25,000 to Miss Winslet and to pay her legal costs.
In apologising the Daily Mail stated “We accept that Miss Winslet was not being duplicitous in making her comments or seeking to deliberately mislead about her exercise regime. We apologise for any distress caused".
This decision also clarifies that in Offer of Amends situations, claimants have the right to appropriate vindication through the process of a Statement in Open Court.
Schillings said:
“Miss Winslet has frequently asserted the right of women to accept the way they look and by accusing her of trying to mislead the public, the Daily Mail caused her a great deal of distress. It was simply not true.”
They also said that:
“We are pleased we have been able to achieve this result for Miss Winslet, a result which will continue to benefit clients bring libel proceedings in the future.”
Miss Winslet said:
“I am delighted that the Mail have apologised for making false allegations about me. I was particularly upset to be accused of lying about my exercise regime and felt that I had a responsibility to request an apology in order to demonstrate my commitment to the views that I have always expressed about body issues, including diet and exercise. I strongly believe that women should be encouraged to accept themselves as they are, so to suggest that I was lying was an unacceptable accusation of hypocrisy.” Related articles
Kate Winslet issues proceedings for libel against Daily Mail
Previous press release
Kate wins apology from Grazia, 9 March 2007
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Schillings
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legal@schillings.co.uk