Britain's Got Talent singer loses £43 million claim against ITV show over failed audition

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Privacy NoticeA Britain’s Got Talent contestant who sued the show’s producers for more than £40 million has had his claim thrown out at the High Court. Robert Aslanyan filed legal action against Fremantle Media Limited in October last year, claiming it acted negligently by failing to notify him that an audition during the Covid pandemic had been cancelled. He also claimed that the company breached a contract with him by failing to decide his application. Fremantle opposed the claim and applied to the court for it to be dismissed, with Judge Mark Gidden ruling in a hearing on Friday that Mr Aslanyan’s case was “hopeless” and “completely without merit”. The judge said: “The defendant maintains that this claim is unwinnable, it is right to be struck out, in fact, it is something of a mercy to end the claim now, and I agree.”

A Britain’s Got Talent contestant who sued the show’s producers for more than £40 million has had his claim thrown out at the High Court
(Image: ITV / Thames / Syco)

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He added that the claim was “flawed” and “has already gone on long enough”, instead ordering that Mr Aslanyan pay £48,188.50 in legal costs within 28 days. Judge Gidden said that Mr Aslanyan planned to perform a song named Our Mother Queen for series 15 of the programme, which he dedicated to the then-monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and he hoped would stand him in good stead to scoop the £250,000 cash prize. In preparation for performing his song and what he says was a 186-mile road trip, Mr Aslanyan claims he even contacted the Queen’s office “to ask for blessings”, receiving a letter of appreciation from Balmoral Castle in return.

Britain’s Got Talent is hosted by Ant & Dec and judged by Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, Bruno Tonioli.
(Image: ITV)

The judge continued that performing the song was Mr Aslanyan’s “great aspiration” and that he anticipated “it would yield a very life-changing commercial success”, the value of which he placed at “just over £43 million”. Mr Aslanyan had represented himself in the claim and did not attend Friday’s online hearing. Mark Winden, for Fremantle Media, told the court that Mr Aslanyan applied six times for “at least the last four”” series of Britain’s Got Talent, which is hosted by presenting duo Ant & Dec, but never got through to an audition before the celebrity judging panel which is headed by music mogul Simon Cowell and fellow judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli. After applying for series 15 in 2020, Mr Aslanyan was later mistakenly invited to attend an in-person audition in December 2021, but no physical auditions were taking place due to the Covid pandemic.

Ant & Dec have been the presenters of Britain’s Got Talent since the show started
(Image: ITV)

Mr Winden said that Mr Aslanyan travelled to Cardiff with several family members for the audition, despite being sent an email by the producers confirming that the original invite was sent “in error”. The lawyer added that a “basic sense check” would have told Mr Aslanyan that the invitation was false and that he “should have understood” that it was a mistake. Mr Winden continued that Mr Aslanyan’s claim argued that the company was “contractually obliged” to inform him of its decision related to his application, and to make its decision “strictly based on artistic performance”. But the court was told that producers had not breached the show’s rules nor been negligent towards Mr Aslanyan, with Mr Winden claiming the producers had “unfettered discretion” over applications for the competition.

Judge Mark Gidden ruling in a hearing on Friday that Mr Aslanyan’s case was “hopeless” and “completely without merit”
(Image: ITV)

The barrister said that the claim “set out no basis” for how Mr Aslanyan had lost the money he was asking for, adding that it was “unwinnable” and “should not have been brought in the first place”. He said: “He has had many auditions for his acts. The issue was that none of them were before the celebrity judges.” He continued: “This claim does not disclose any legally recognisable claim against the defendant and so it is a claim suitable for strike out.”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnBritain’s Got TalentSimon CowellAnt and DecAmanda HoldenBruno TonioliAlesha Dixon

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