Journalist Stephen Davis is suing television producers Blakeway Productions in a row over payment for the BBC documentary Last Flight to Kuwait.
Davis claims he is entitled to £27,374 for his contribution to the programme, which cost the BBC £806,000.
The documentary was shown on BBC2 on 19 March.
Davis had agreed with Blakeway to produce a programme based on his book BA Flight 149, according to a High Court writ. His pay was to be 29 per cent of the production fee, which in turn was to be 12 per cent of the final budget, the writ says.
During negotiations with the BBC, it became clear that the corporation’s standard practice was to pay a production fee of 10 per cent of the final budget rather than the 12 per cent the two sides had anticipated, the writ claims.
Davis says that he agreed with Blakeway that he would accept 29 per cent of 10 per cent and an extra £4,000, and claims that the production company agreed to this.
The eventual production fee was £806,000 and Davis says this meant he was entitled to £23,374, and the extra £4,000, making a total of £27,374.
But he accuses Blakeway Productions of breaching the agreement and failing to pay him a penny despite requests.
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