Seven Loses Bid to Block Airing of Nine’s The Hotplate

August 6, 2015 World Screen Top Stories

SYDNEY: A Federal Court judge has rejected an injunction attempt by Seven Network to block the airing of Channel Nine's reality cooking show The Hotplate, stemming from claims that it is "a straight rip-off" of My Kitchen Rules.

Earlier this week, Seven attempted to have The Hotplate immediately taken off the air, claiming that it had "remarkable similarity" to the network's ratings hit My Kitchen Rules. At a hearing, Justice John Nicholas said he believed Seven has a "reasonable case" but denied the order to prevent The Hotplate from airing.

Seven issued a statement asserting that it will continue to "seek to protect our business and the content we create."

"His Honour today found that Seven has an arguable case that the close similarity of the formats is the result of copying and that there is a reasonable basis for Seven to argue that, directly or indirectly, the team responsible for developing the Hotplate format has copied the format, or a large part of the format, used in MKR.

"Seven will continue its case against the Nine program which it asserts is a straight rip-off of My Kitchen Rules.

"The defendants, when the matters proceed to full hearing, includes the Endemol Group, the distributor of MKR program, as well as Nine. Seven needs to protect not only the Australian version of My Kitchen Rules but also the distribution rights in many overseas territories. Given the importance of the matter, Seven has asked the court to deal with the matter as an urgent hearing.

"My Kitchen Rules is the number one show in Australia. It is also broadcast in 162 countries. There are local versions of MKR being produced under license in seven international markets very successfully, including Canada, Lithuania, the U.K., Serbia, New Zealand, Belgium and Denmark.

"Seven will also continue to create new and original programs. That commitment has underpinned our continuing leadership in television and a success that others seek to copy."