More websites reveal ‘celebrity threesome’ to readers in Britain

THE “celebrity threesome” gagging order row descended further into farce last night after two major news outlets published details available to UK readers.

Mainstream websites in Canada published extensive details of those in- volved as a fresh attempt was made to have the High Court injunction overturned.

Yesterday, officials at the Court of Appeal confirmed they had received fresh papers from News UK. A hearing could open as soon as today.

The celebrity, identified only as PJS, won a banning order preventing publi- cation of details of his sexual liaison after judges ruled that his right to privacy outweighed the Sun on Sunday’s right to publish its story.

But the secrecy of those involved has all but vanished since a Scottish newspaper and then a prominent blogger named him in recent days.

By noon yesterday at least three arti- cles naming the celebrities were available online in the UK.

Details of the man and his wellknown spouse, both of whom are part of the entertainment world, were first revealed last week in the United States because the High Court injunction affects only England and Wales.

On Monday, it emerged that John Bercow, the Commons Speaker, was to ban MPs from revealing in Parliament the identity of the celebrity couple.

The Telegraph reported on Sunday that an MP was planning to use parliamentary privilege to disclose the names of the couple.

Ministers are “actively considering” a change in the law which will stop wealthy individuals – including famous public figures – using the Human Rights Act to stop newspapers publishing material in the public interest.

Another type of court order, the “super-injunction”, forbids publications even referring to such legal actions and has been widely condemned for stifling free speech.