Lawyers 'to settle X Factor case'

The High Court case was adjourned twice on its first day

Music mogul Simon Fuller's legal action against Simon Cowell has been postponed indefinitely, with lawyers reportedly seeking an out-of-court settlement.

No date for a resumption has been set following a series of adjournments.

Mr Fuller had claimed Mr Cowell's ITV1 show The X Factor copied his Pop Idol format, a claim dismissed by his former colleague as "utterly ridiculous".

Industry website Broadcast now says the deal is thought to involve Mr Fuller getting a 20% cut in X Factor profits.

It adds that in return, it is believed that Mr Cowell would receive a larger percentage of profits - between 30% and 40% - from Pop Idol's US spin-off American Idol.

Mr Fuller's company 19 TV had accused FremantleMedia, Cowell and his firms Simco and Syco of breach of copyright.

It also sued for breach of contract, alleging some of The X Factor's production team worked on Pop Idol after signing contracts which prevented them from working on rival shows.

Neither Mr Fuller nor Mr Cowell were at London's High Court on Thursday.

19 Entertainment said it had no comment, while Simon Cowell's representative has not commented.