Hugh Grant reached an agreement with The Sun’s publisher in the context of a UK High Court lawsuit, following counsel about potential liabilities of £10 million in legal expenses should the matter continue to litigation. The actor had filed a lawsuit against News Group Newspapers (NGN), accusing them of directing journalists and investigators against him, an assertion confined to The Sun, following an earlier 2012 settlement related to the News Of The World.
Hugh Grant was accompanied by a multitude of individuals, Duke of Sussex included, who pursued allegations against NGN. His lawsuit regarding The Sun was slated for adjudication at a trial set for January of the coming year. However, it was announced at a pre-trial hearing for the lawsuit earlier this week that an agreement had been reached recently.
Anthony Hudson KC, NGN’s legal representative, conveyed to Mr Justice Fancourt that “there remain 42 ongoing claims, following the recent settling of Mr Grant’s lawsuit.” This confirmation also came from Grant’s barrister, David Sherborne. It must be noted though that NGN has rebuked any allegations of unlawful undertakings within The Sun.
The settlement by Grant follows previous settlements reached by other public figures like actress Sienna Miller, former footballer Paul Gascoigne, comedian Catherine Tate, radio host Chris Moyles, Melanie Chisholm of the Spice Girls, past Boyzone member Shane Lynch and actor Mathew Horne.
On X, a series of posts by Grant revealed that he was enticed with “an overwhelming sum of money” in order to settle the case, a fund he intended to divert to press reform advocates such as Hacked Off, of which he is a director. He stated his hesitation in accepting the money, expressing his desire to witness the judicial scrutiny of all the accusations NGN has denied.
The regulations surrounding civil lawsuits mandate that should I advance to trial and the court awards me an amount even marginally below the settlement proposal, I would be held accountable for the legal expenses on both sides. According to my solicitors, such an outcome is highly probable in this situation. Lawyers employed by Rupert Murdoch carry a hefty price tag. Thus, even if every accusation is substantiated in court, I would still be accountable for nearly £10 million in costs, a prospect I am reluctant to face.”
Mr. Grant also expressed gratitude to his legal team and to the daring individuals who shifted allegiances, not to forget other brave witnesses supplying a significant amount of evidence.
A representative for NGN stated, “NGN expressed an apology without reservation to victims of voicemail interception by the News Of The World in 2011. NGN has subsequently been compensating financially those with valid claims. We are now concluding the end of litigation with NGN putting a full stop to contested issues, some going back more than two decades. In some instances, it has been commercially beneficial for both sides to arrive at a settlement agreement pre-trial in order to resolve the issue.
Several remaining contested claims involving The Sun amongst others, are still navigating the civil court process. The Sun neither acknowledges liability nor concedes to any of the accusations.
Mr. Grant’s allegations were partially deemed to be time-barred by a judge recently, therefore we have reached a settlement carefully designed not to admit liability, thereby avoiding a costly trial”.
In a ruling in May 2023, Mr Justice Fancourt ruled that except for phone hacking allegations, the rest of Mr. Grant’s complaints could proceed to trial. The judge concluded that Mr. Grant could have lodged a phone hacking claim earlier due to his awareness of the situation, but his other allegations must be thoroughly examined before proceeding.
The hearing advances with NGN lawyers arguing on Wednesday for an initial trial to establish whether other claims, including those from Harry, have been filed belatedly. PA is continuously following the case.