Dom blasts 'shoddy' C5 for stealing idea

Dom Joly has accused Channel 5 of ripping off one of his ideas.

He claims their upcoming show 99 Things To Do Before You're 30 is remarkably similar to the BBC programme he is working on 100 Things To Do Before You Die.

Both feature presenters undertaking daft challenges, such as washing the fattest man in Britain.

And the Trigger Happy TV star has accused Channel 5 chiefs of "shoddy" behaviour.

Joly claims he pitched the idea for 100 Things... to Channel 5's Kevin Lygo and Andrew Newman last year when they were at Channel 4 and E4, before they both changed jobs.

He told London's Evening Standard: "What I'm so pissed off about is that these things happen sometimes in TV, but usually it's not so blatant.

"It's not just a question of ethics, I think it's really shoddy of Lygo and Newman.

But he added: "It's Channel 5, so I'm not exactly worried. I think their show is going to make Jackass look intelligent," Joly added.

"On our show it's just me doing things that normally you wouldn't really want to do and they won't all come off."

Joly defected from Channel 4 last December, in a deal worth up to £1million.

Published: 30 Aug 2002