Comedian's Copyright Claim Against Steve Coogan's Baby Cow Productions Dismissed

A High Court judge ruled that the sitcom format in question lacked copyright protection and found no evidence of copying by the production company.

Comedian Joshua Rinkoff, also known as Harry Deansway, accused Baby Cow Productions of copying elements of his sitcom 'Shambles' for their 2022 series 'Live At The Moth Club' (LATMC).
The High Court ruled that 'Shambles' did not meet the criteria for copyright protection as a dramatic work due to insufficient character and plotline development.
Judge Amanda Michaels found no evidence to suggest that LATMC was copied from 'Shambles' or that its creators were aware of Rinkoff's work.
Baby Cow Productions argued that LATMC is a mockumentary blending stand-up performances with sitcom elements, differing significantly from 'Shambles'.
Steve Coogan, co-founder of Baby Cow Productions, was not personally implicated in the lawsuit, and the court's decision favored the company on all counts.