HOLLY Willoughby’s TV producer husband is caught up in a licensing rights row with Butlin’s over its Gladiators shows.
It has left characters from the BBC hit having to compete in black tracksuits rather than their on-screen costumes because of the dispute.
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And the stage for the Meet The Stars of Gladiators experience at Butlin’s is free of the usual logos and branding.
Sources say producer Dan Baldwin’s company, Hungry Bear Media, agreed the deal with Butlin’s.
But while it makes Gladiators for the BBC, it only holds television rights. US entertainment giant MGM owns the original format and branding.
A source said: “It seems Dan’s Hungry Bear Media and Butlin’s have got into a row over this.
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“It’s resulted in the Gladiators coming out in an all-black outfit on a stage with no TV logos behind it.”
The cast competes in front of audiences at Butlin’s’ Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness resorts. The games are not based on those seen on TV.
Fan Sarah Longden said: “The stars were in black tracksuits today. We assumed they didn’t have their outfits because of licensing.” Another said: “Electro and Phantom were in tracksuits. Shocking.”
Butlin’s apologised for changing some show dates but did not comment on the licensing rights.
All the pictures of the cast in their costumes have been taken off the website.
MGM and Hungry Bear Media declined to comment.