Ant and Dec were previously nearly sued by an American star for an eye-watering amount.

Since shooting to fame in the late 1980s, the Geordie duo have become TV’s go-to presenting duo. From hosting Britain’s Got Talent – which is on today (March 8) – to I’m A Celeb, the boys have kept busy over the years.

However, back in 2008, the pair were almost sued by an American comedian to stop them from using his name while they worked in the US.

Ant and Dec on The One Show
Ant and Dec are firm favourites on the TV (Credit: The One Show / BBC)

 

Why were Ant and Dec nearly sued?

In 2008, comedian Anthony Kalloniatis tried to sue Ant for trademark infringement.

Anthony – who legally changed his name to ANT in 1993 – is best known for hosting the US version of Celebrity Fit Club.

He was also a regular guest on chat shows in the 2000s, including The Tyra Banks Show and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

He claimed he was losing work due to him being confused for Ant and Dec. It was reported Anthony feared they could harm his career.

At the time, Ant and Dec were trying to crack America by hosting the US gameshow Wanna Bet? However, due to poor ratings, the show was cancelled after one season.

Ant on Doctors
He wasn’t happy with the pair (Credit: YouTube / Doctors)

Comedian tried to sue Ant and Dec

As MailOnline reports, Anthony wanted to sue for $30m and claimed that when Ant and Dec applied to use their names in America, they failed to make it clear they were comedians.

Under US rules, no two performers can have the same name.

As well as that, Anthony reportedly claimed that his “valuable reputation” could be tarnished due to Ant and Dec’s involvement in shows embroiled in phone-in scandals.

The publication also claimed that, at the time, Ant and Dec’s American lawyers were investigating the allegations.

However, the suit ended up getting rejected in 2010. And, as the Telegraph reports, Ant McPartlin was awarded more than $60,000 in legal fees.