ITV News and The Guardian are preparing to publish potentially bombshell allegations about a British celebrity following a legal battle over their investigation.
Last week, the man lost his bid for an injunction against ITV News producer ITN and The Guardian to prevent the media outlets from publishing allegations of sexual misconduct.
Now, a deadline to appeal the ruling has passed, per multiple reports, clearing a path for the news organizations to publish their joint investigation about the man known as “PPT” in court proceedings.
Watch on Deadline
A source told Deadline that the investigation could be published as early as Tuesday afternoon, though online speculation about a gap in ITV’s schedule this evening is thought be based on an error.
The Radio Times shows that ITV is “off air” between 8.35PM and 9.05PM. ITV’s website shows that an episode of Coronation Street is scheduled at this time.
The case has generated significant interest in the UK, sparking widespread social media speculation about the identity of the man at the heart of the allegations.
PPT’s legal team argued that publishing would be “highly likely” to lead to his death by suicide after he had made two previous attempts to take his own life.
Gavin Millar, who made the case for ITN and The Guardian, argued that the news organizations had a duty to publish information that was in the public interest.
The two outlets are seeking to publish allegations of inappropriate and exploitative sexual activities with girls and young women.
Journalists had spoken to more than 100 people, including more than 30 sources said to have first-hand accounts. These include friends, colleagues, former partners, relatives, and other sources.
In a ruling last week, Mr Justice Nicklin concluded that the risk of suicide was “genuine, grave and closely connected to the court’s decision and any subsequent publication.”
He added, however, that it was British health services, rather than the court, to protect PPT from potential self-harm.
“The evidence does not establish that suicide is an inevitable consequence of publication or that psychiatric treatment and containment are incapable of providing substantial protection,” Nicklin wrote.
The court heard that PPT had made two previous attempts to kill himself: In May, when ITN and The Guardian gave him an opportunity to respond to the allegations; and in July, when he absconded from a secure hospital.
The Guardian has been investigating the celebrity since 2023, after receiving allegations about his conduct in professional and personal contexts.
ITV News launched a separate investigation into the celebrity’s conduct toward junior female employees at another workplace. The two news organizations combined forces in April 2023.