Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel ‘won’ their lawsuit against UK tabloid Heat

biel JT

Last week, Justin Timberlake posted this ^^ photo on his Instagram. This is the first-ever appearance of Jessica Biel on JT’s social media and for the honor, JT posted the photo with a Ferris Bueller quote: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” JT and Biel have been pretty quiet lately, haven’t they? We get photos of Biel every now and then, and there are some rumors that she’s already pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I would believe that.

Back in late August/early September, there were different rumors floating around. Justin had been partying in Paris without his wife and Star Magazine and Heat (a UK tabloid) bought the photos of JT looking especially flirty and handsy with an unknown lady. Star ran a cover story about JT’s marriage shambles and Heat made the mistake of writing a story all about Biel being distraught over the photos. Something interesting happened – Justin and Jessica actually sued. And Heat settled… I think. The wording here is everything.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel make one heck of a team. The longtime couple, who tied the knot in 2012, scored a moral victory in a Dublin courtroom today when the British magazine Heat apologized for reporting that Timberlake was flirting with other women while partying in Paris in August during the European leg of his tour.

The following official statement was read aloud in court by the defense: “On 6th-12th September edition of heat magazine, the Defendant published an article under the headlines ‘Justin Timberlake gets flirty with another woman,’ ‘It is not his wife!” and ‘The flirty photos that rocked Justin and Jessica’s marriage.’ The article was based on an unfounded report regarding Justin Timberlake’s alleged behavior at a club following a performance in Paris, to celebrate a birthday and also included a number of purported statements improperly attributed to Jessica Biel, which heat now understands had never been made by her. The Defendant accepts that the article was false and withdraws any inferences that questioned the state of Justin and Jessica’s marriage. The Defendant regrets any embarrassment caused to the couple and unreservedly apologises to them.”

No details regarding any potential financial settlement were disclosed.

Paul Tweed, a senior partner at Johnsons Law Firm in the U.K., which was representing Biel and Timberlake, said in a statement that their clients “are very satisfied with this categoric retraction of what was a false and unfounded story, together with the comprehensive apology from Bauer Consumer Media, the publishers of heat magazine, as read before the High Court this morning.

“The couple will not be making any further comment in relation to this matter, but will not hesitate to take similar legal action if false allegations regarding the state of their marriage are repeated.”

[From E! News]

My guess is that the financial settlement was minimal because Bauer Consumer Media’s statement is like the motherlode of parsing. Heat is apologizing for attributing quotes to Biel when she never said anything like that on the record – probably because she doesn’t give a crap if Justin cheats on her just as long as she gets to be Mrs. Timberlake? Heat is apologizing for what they wrote, which was a make-a-story-up-to-go-along-with-the-photos deal. The photos speak for themselves. Justin was getting handsy with a lady. All of the stuff about what that means for their marriage was false.

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Photos courtesy of WENN, Instagram.

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35 Responses to “Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel ‘won’ their lawsuit against UK tabloid Heat”

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  1. aims says:

    Exactly, he is a little grabby. If my husband pulled that crap, we would be having words for sure.

  2. Maggie says:

    I recognize that view and have a similar photo with that very same bench. Mendocino, CA (Northern Ca, major weed growing country).

  3. QQ says:

    I still cackle every time I see them together over their EXPECTATIONS of how the public was gonna treat them/their engagement/Marriage vs THE REALITY of the coverage which is usually somewhere between “Oh She forgave her megalomaniac’ or “These douchebags” or “Oh Now he gets to cheat on his Wife..yep got it”

    • Abi says:

      Honestly, from what I heard the public is on their side.

    • Diva says:

      Agreed QQ. Their relationship is weird. I understand what she gets out of it (being Mrs. Timberlake) but I don’t get what he’s getting out if it. I’d say they are in it for love but none of their actions seem to point towards that.

  4. Ciria says:

    He has always cheated on her. He did with Olivia Munn.

  5. BlueeJay says:

    Good for them for suing. I think that is great. I wish more celebrities would do this. You can bet that George will for his new wife – because she is important to him.

  6. Jaderu says:

    Bullshit IG photo(lawsuit+teased pregnancy ² ) + beard = < Alamooney

    Heyy mimif!!! I'm learning my maths!!!!!

    • mimif says:

      Holy tater, Jaderu, that’s some straight up calculuses right thar!
      A+

    • mmno says:

      The problem is they didn’t tease any pregnancy. That is just people’s speculation. They clearly just want to be left alone.

      • Bridget says:

        Because if there’s anything Justin Timberlake hates, it’s attention. And it’s not like they’re the types to sell their wedding photos… oh wait.

  7. Loopy says:

    They are the blandest of couples!

  8. Mel M says:

    They last pics of her in a bikini and then hiking with him in Australia have shown a very round belly and for her that’s unusual so I’m thinking an announcement/outing is imminent

  9. LOL says:

    Move on. Let them live their life the way they want. I don’t think he cheats and she is the one in the relationship with him. Stop playing guardians of justice to his wife. I don’t think you care about her, so why? They are private, so unfortunately there is going to be BS written about them. I honestly like them and they seem more real than those other celebrity couples.

    • Bridget says:

      “I don’t think he cheats”

      You know he’s actually been caught cheating, right?

      • LOL says:

        Maybe in your dreams. He never was caught cheating and he even denied some of those stupid rumors before but that just how media want to portray him. Are you aware that half of the stuff written in tabloids is false? Seriously, why focus on something that is such a non-issue? His WIFE doesn’t care, so why do you care?

      • Candy Love says:

        Aren’t you playing Guardian of justice for them? So it’s odd that your telling people to stop when your doing the samething. As for for the him cheating Jessica herself said as much as for the reason why they split before getting back together.

      • Amy says:

        I honestly agree with what LOL wrote. Why obsess over them? And Jessica never said that.

  10. manjit says:

    Why was the case heard in a Dublin court?????

    • Abi says:

      Because the laws for this kind of stuff are pretty normal there. In other places they can be kind of tricky and too tabloid friendly.

      • Bridget says:

        “Tabloid friendly” meaning free speech friendly. The UK is known to have some of the softest libel laws around, and that’s why you frequently see celebs sue there. But it also makes any verdict mean that much less, as you see with the Biel/Timberlake verdict, which ultimately resulted in the tabloid apologizing for thwir wording but not necessarily their content.

      • Bridget=obsessed says:

        I just saw how many comments you wrote, Bridget. Pretty obsessed, are you? Justin must have really hurt you. And to be honest, the tabloid needed to apologize for their wording, because they wrote he cheated when he didn’t really do it. You need to get a life, sweetheart. I know you must live in terrible pain because of what Justin did to you but please, be strong. I’ll pray for you 🙁

      • KellyBee says:

        @BRIDGET=OBSESSED

        She made like 3 comment so how is that obsessive? The only one who should calm down is you. Lol

        Are you new to this blog because its not uncommon to post a comment more then once on a post.

      • SAKS says:

        @kellybee +1

  11. s says:

    The case was heard in Dublin because in the UK, the libel laws are stricter..you actually have to prove your case whereas in Ireland, the law is very lax-anyone with money can sue and win basically. The US has the free speech amendment so celebs don’t usually sue for defamation there.