adminGARETH Cliff wants his job back, or he’ll prevent Idols SA auditions from taking place.
This is according to the application he lodged in the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday.
Apart from suing M-Net for R25 million, Cliff also wants an apology. The channel has opposed the application, but by yesterday had not given reasons for doing so.
Public relations head Nondumiso Mabece said: “While we respect his decision to seek legal recourse, we dispute his claims and will be filing an answering affidavit in due course.” Cliff’s lawyer Eric Mabuza confirmed that the channel had responded to them. “It said it is opposing his reinstatement, so now we’re waiting for them to tell us what their reasons are.”
He added that M-Net’s formal response was expected today.
In the application lodged by Cliff, he called for auditions scheduled for next Friday not to take place and for his image to be removed from adverts for Idols, which has been done.
According to reports, he was earning about R356,160 per season. He was axed from the show after making a Twitter comment about people not understanding freedom of speech during the Penny Sparrow debate.
Cliff argued that double standards had been applied when dealing with his case, compared with the way fellow judges Unathi Msengana and Somizi Mhlongo were treated after they also got involved in social media arguments last year.
He said his dismissal was also fuelled by members of the ANC Youth League saying they would boycott Idols SA if he was kept on the show. -Daily Sun
Online Reporter