The holders of the rights of the world-renowned programme Big Brother filed a judicial protest against the producers of the weekly programme L-Ispjun yesterday, claiming breach of intellectual property rights.

The judicial protest was filed before the First Hall of the Civil Court by foreign companies Endemol International BV and Endemol Nederland BV against the Public Broadcasting Services Ltd, the operators of the national television station TVM, Watermelon Media and Communications Ltd, the producers of L-Ispjun, and Melita Cable plc, which is offering a 24-hour channel for viewers to see what is happening inside the house.

The foreign companies explained that they are the owners of the rights for Big Brother, which is transmitted in several countries including Italy, Greece, Spain, the United Kingdom, America and Holland.

They complained that PBS, Melita Cable and Watermelon Media and Communications were breaching intellectual property rights by airing and producing the said programme.

They said these companies were acting in “bad faith” and were taking commercial advantage over rights that they do not own.

The foreign companies gave the companies 48 hours to stop producing and broadcasting L-Ispjun, to compensate them for the damages they have sustained and to hand over the profits they have made so far as a result of the programme.

They held the companies responsible for the damages they have sustained and are sustaining, and also reserved the right to take further legal action in this regard.

The Broadcasting Authority has also been notified about the judicial protest filed yesterday.

Dr Jeremy Debono, Dr Noel Bartolo and Dr Mark Mifsud Cutajar signed the writ.