Cliff's role on Idols to shock and provoke - Judge
Johannesburg - M-Net knew Gareth Cliff's value as a Idols judge was his ability to provoke and shock, the High Court in Johannesburg ruled on Friday.
"It cannot be ignored that Cliff's value as an Idols judge has been his tendency to shock and provoke, an image that M-Net has apparently supported, or certainly overlooked, until now," Judge Caroline Nicholls said in her ruling.
M-Net's lawyer, Wim Trengove argued in court on Tuesday that the channel did not want to be associated with a "posterboy for racism." He said the Idols judges were hired to entertain, not to shock and offend.
Nicholls however, ruled on Friday that the channel give Cliff interim relief and put him back on the show, which was scheduled to start its pre-auditions on Saturday.
Nicholls said M-Net had failed to prove that the Idols brand would suffer if Cliff was temporarily reinstated. Cliff's image however would be affected, said Nicholls.