A marine biologist locked in a legal wrangle with comedian Ricky Gervais has turned to crowdfunding to support his fight.
Mr Savage alleges that Mr Gervais ripped off creations from his own book, Captain Pottie’s Wildlife Encyclopedia, which was released four years before the first instalment of Flanimals.
The claims have been refuted by the After Life creator, but this year legal representatives from both sides met to discuss them after Mr Savage objected to a fresh trademark bid from Mr Gervais.
However, after these meetings failed to produce common ground, Mr Savage has launched a fundraising appeal to cover the legal costs of fighting the far wealthier Mr Gervais.
Mr Savage said: “After a first meeting I thought we were getting somewhere but after the second it felt to me that the viewpoint of Mr Gervais was very much ‘go away, little people’.
“I don’t want to be doing this, all I did was write a ridiculous, surreal children’s book years ago and it has caused me more trouble than it is worth.
“Whatever the outcome I consider it my responsibility now to fight all the way – this should not be allowed to happen. It is unlikely this gets all the way to court but if it does and I lose at least I will have done everything I can.”
More at. https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/john-savage-ricky-gervais-flanimals-legal-wrangle-1-6804359
