In a landmark decision, the British Court of Appeal has ruled MICHAEL DOUGLAS and CATHERINE ZETA JONES can sue HELLO! magazine for publishing photos of their wedding.

The ruling recognises celebrities, as well as ordinary members of the public, have rights to privacy - and the court said Hello! had violated those rights. The celebrity magazine published photographs of the couple at their New York wedding last month (18NOV00) after the couple had signed a exclusive deal with rival publication OK!, said to be worth $1.5 million (£1 million).

LORD JUSTICE BROOKE said if the couple and OK! magazine were to sue Hello! they would have the support of English law in protecting the right to personal privacy. If they succeeded, "the bill which Hello! will have to pay is likely to be enormous", he said. "But this is a risk it decided to take." He said the couple were likely to succeed with legal action on the grounds of confidentiality. (NFA/WNWCCB/KW)

Source: WENN