Spoof BBC website removed, after Managing IP interview

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Cookies Settings

Spoof BBC website removed, after Managing IP interview

A mock BBC website that posted spoof stories about celebrities and MPs was taken down yesterday after its owner became concerned about trade mark and copyright infringement

Andrew Firth, who registered www.news-bbc.net as part of a murder mystery game in October 2009, was contacted by Managing IP earlier in the week. He then removed it on Wednesday.

Firth said he started the site "on a whim". But he became worried that the BBC would send him a cease and desist letter about the site, which replicated the corporation's trade mark and colours, and gave the impression that it was owned by them.

One story reported that television presenter Phillip Schofield had been kidnapped, while another rumoured that former Prime Minister Gordon Brown had been involved in affair with Conservative MP Anne Widdecombe.

Firth, who works in internet marketing in York, said the stories were chosen at random in order to fill the site and make it appear legitimate. But he said he had forgotten about it until this week, despite originally intending to take it down some time ago.

A spokesman for the BBC said that no action would be taken as the site had been taken down.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Boehringer Ingelheim has instructed a team from Kirkland, while Teva is being represented by Pinsent Masons
The Delhi High Court’s latest directions offer an opportunity to move beyond remedies against bad-faith registrations and address how suspicious applications are identified in the first place, says Fatima Baig at Lexlinc
Camilla Hamrin describes how the acquisition by Acapo Onsagers will impact Bergenstråhle’s trademark practice – and reflects on changes she has seen over 30 years in IP
On a recent trip to the French capital, we learned that the UPC is squeezing domestic litigation while firms are chasing senior talent, experimenting with AI and considering new ways of organising their practices
Daniel Law says a string of lateral hires and broader expansion plans will strengthen its position to capitalise on Brazil’s burgeoning IP and patent litigation market
Jason Raeburn’s arrival will expand the firm’s London footprint in AI, copyright and tech disputes
The firm is shaping its AI strategy around partnerships with Harvey and Legora alongside internally developed tools from its legal technology company, Eltemate
A dispute Down Under shows why trademark lawyers cannot afford to wait on the sidelines when a rival brand gathers momentum
The Third Circuit’s decision in Thomson Reuters v ROSS marks the first appellate-level decision addressing AI and fair use, prompting copyright counsel to consider arguments around potential licensing markets
Injunctions for HandsFree Labs and Align Technology come as the Court of Appeal warns that busy teams must have the staffing and resources to meet UPC deadlines
Gift this article