Lord of Dance Flatley Being Sued for £10m
Date: 2 October 1998
Irish dancing star Michael Flatley is being sued for £10 million by his former manager John Reid in a damages claim for breach of contract and loss of earnings. Flatley is countersuing Reid for alleged deceit. The hearing opened at the High Court yesterday and is expected to continue for five weeks.
In testimony, an unflattering picture of Flatley emerged. The court was told that relations broke down when the video of Flatley's stage show Lord of the Dance reached number one in the charts. Flatley was incensed that no one from Reid's office had called to congratulate him.
Flatley, estimated to be worth £60 million, also made various demands by letter - including that he should earn the same as famous footballers, that he should be on the cover of more magazines and that he should have the same American agent who represented the likes of Hollywood film stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
Reid was dismissed by Flatley in January 1997, just seven months into a contract that was scheduled to run until the end of October 1998. But Flatley claims that he was tricked into signing the two-year contract in June 1996. The two had already been working together since October 1995, based on an oral contract.
According to Flatley, Reid deceived him when the manager said he could easily settle a dispute with the producers of the Riverdance show, from which Flatley was sacked in summer 1995 prior to the show's second London run. Flatley also claims that Reid misled him about the video deal for Lord of the Dance with Polygram. Flatley says Reid lied about the deal being dependent on Arlene Phillips, creator of 70s dance troupe Hot Gossip, remaining as director.
Flatley is also suing his former solicitors for alleged professional negligence. The case continues.
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