James Whale to take legal action against Talk Sport
- Published: 13 August 2008 14:46
- Author: Rob Shepherd
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- Last Updated: 14 August 2008 08:58
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Fired DJ lodges complaints at High Court and claims unfair dismissal.
James Whale has started legal proceedings against former employer Talk Sport following his controversial dismissal from the speech station in May this year.
The veteran broadcaster is said to be upset at his treatment by the UTV-owned Talk Sport after he was fired for breaching Ofcom rules on impartiality.
Whale courted controversy when he called on his listeners to vote for Boris Johnson and against former incumbent Ken Livingstone in the run-up to May's London mayoral election during his late-night programme on 20 March.
Talk Sport conducted an internal investigation and sacked the outspoken presenter before an inquiry by media regulator Ofcom was completed.
A source familiar with the situation said Whale had lodged two separate complaints through his legal team - one at an unfair dismissal tribunal and the other at London's High Court.
Whale is understood to have instructed law firm Berry Smith to bring the actions, with Stephen Moore as the acting solicitor.
Although the exact details of Whale's High Court complaint are unclear, a source said Whale has bemoaned the fact that Talk Sport bosses failed to explained to him why his contract had been terminated. He is also unhappy that the broadcaster "never gave him the chance to say goodbye to his loyal listeners".
Talk Sport programme director Moz Dee, who had only been in the job a number of weeks when Whale was sacked, said at the 2008 Radio Festival in Glasgow that the decision to let Whale go was "a very painful one, and made with regret".
Talk Sport is understood to have around a week to respond to the action. A Talk Sport spokesman declined to comment. Whale could not be reached as Broadcast went to press.
Whale recently signed up to host a show on talk radio station LBC 97.3. He is hosting six live phone-in programmes on LBC, between 10pm and 1am, from 17 August in place of the holidaying Clive Bull.
He will be united at LBC with ex-mayor Ken Livingstone, the man he urged listeners to kick out of office. Livingstone has already defended Whale's actions in Broadcast, saying that outspoken presenters such as Whale were hired precisely so listeners could hear their views.
Other hosts such as LBC's Nick Ferrari and Magic 105.4's Neil Fox have also criticised Talk Sport's decision to sack Whale. Ferrari said that a ban would have been sufficient.
