Essex Court Chambers and Atkins Thomson Solicitors are representing former Big Brother winner Brian Belo on a legal action brought against ITV for copyright infringement over the hit TV show The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE).

Belo has filed a lawsuit against ITV and TV production company Lime Pictures for allegedly infringing the copyright of his creation 'Totally Essex', which was rejected by the producers.

The pilot clip included a number of the stars from TOWIE, which was first broadcast on ITV2 in 2010 and has since gone on to be a major success for the channel, boasting more than a million viewers.

Atkins Thomson is acting for Belo led by media partner Graham Atkins, with Edward Brown of Essex Court instructed as counsel. Brabners Chaffe Street is advising ITV and Lime Pictures led by commercial litigation partner Mark Manley alongside 8 New Square's John Baldwin QC.

In a joint statement, ITV and Lime Pictures said: "TOWIE is an original concept created and developed by an award-winning team at Lime Pictures. Brian Belo's claim against Lime and ITV is totally without foundation and will be vigorously defended.

"The creative team at Lime Pictures is very proud of TOWIE and the notion that it was not entirely their own work is a serious allegation which is completely refuted."

Atkins Thomson is known for advising high-profile celebrities on media claims and has acted for a number of phone-hacking victims including Sienna Miller, who was last year awarded £100,000 in damages from now-defunct newspaper the News of the World.