Man claims RTE stole his idea for Celebrity Bainisteoir

The self-proclaimed mastermind of reality TV show Celebrity Bainisteoir is suing RTÉ for stealing his idea in what would be a very embarrassing scandal for the state broadcaster if deemed true.

Patrick Kinsella, from Callowhill, Newtown, Wicklow, is the man claiming to have conjured the idea of Celebrity Bainisteoir which airs on RTÉ and he’s got the honchos in Donnybrook up in the High Court, looking to be compensated for pinching his idea.

Kinsella claims he presented an original idea for a show to be called Top Coach or Top Team in August 2007 and later discovered Celebrity Bainisteoir was broadcast in November of that year.

The case is against RTÉ, the broadcaster’s commissioning editor Gráinne McAleer, producer Alice O’Sullivan, described as a member of the RTÉ commissioning group at the time, and Fiona Looney, a writer and columnist with Associated Newspapers.

Kinsella was told by RTÉ and a host of other TV stations at the time pitch that it was very good idea but none of them were willing to bite.

According to Ms O’Sullivan, a meeting took place with Kinsella in which he was told by Ms McAleer that Celebrity Bainisteoir was already in production and was about to go out on air.

Mr Kinsella seemed “perfectly fine” with that, she added.

The hearing continues.