UK Court Orders FOX's GLEE to Change Its Name!

ABC News reports that a UK court has ordered Twentieth Century FOX to change the name of its musical dramedy series GLEE in Britain, due to the fact that it breaches the trademark of a chain of British comedy clubs owned by Comic Enterprises called 'The Glee Club.'

In February, Judge Roger Wyand handed down a ruling in favor of Comic Enterprises, decreeing that there was a "likelihood of confusion" between the two brands. The order will not become final until appeal judges analyze the case. FOX will argue that changing the show's title would be unnecessary, unfair and disproportionate, according to the report.

"I find it hard to believe that the cost of the re-titling and publicizing of the new name would be so prohibitive compared to the value of the series," said the Judge today. "I was told many times during the course of the trial how this series is a 'blockbuster.'"

In addition to the name change, Comic Enterprises is also seeking damages. While the final amount would be determined later, he ordered Twentieth Century FOX to make an interim payment of 100,000 pounds or $170,000 U..S. dollars.

FOX recently announced that the sixth and final season of Glee will return in 2015 with a shortened edition consisting of 13 episodes.

About the show:

Glee is a musical comedy about a group of ambitious and talented kids who escape the harsh realities of high school by joining a Glee club, where they find strength, acceptance and, ultimately, their voice. Last year's graduates and aspiring singers, RACHEL BERRY (Lea Michelle) and KURT HUMMEL (Chris Colfer), packed their bags for New York and enrolled at a prestigious performing arts school, NYADA, where they made new friends and learned the cruel realities of college. These naïve freshmen moved into a Brooklyn loft, signed up for internships, auditioned for Broadway shows and gained a roommate when SANTANA LOPEZ (Naya Rivera) moved to the Big Apple.

Since its debut, Glee has become a bona fide cultural phenomenon, received prestigious honors, including a Golden Globe Award and a Peabody Award, and singlehandedly made Glee clubs cool again. The series boasts critical acclaim, a die-hard fan base, two Grammy Award nominations, two platinum and five gold albums, more than 43 million songs and more than 13 million albums sold worldwide, two sold-out concert tours, a 3-D movie and four Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes, including the award for Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical.

To post a comment, you must register and login.