ID has also acquired the special for US purposes
He Said, She Said: Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni, 1x 90, a fast-turnaround special examining the live legal battle between the two actors, produced by ITN Productions, will premiere in the UK on 5 tonight [Monday 17th March at 10pm]. A condensed, 60-minute version, In Dispute: Lively v Baldoni, will air on ID in the US on Monday 31st March and will be available to stream on Max and discovery+.
The special will examine the legal complaint brought against Justin Baldoni by Blake Lively, alleging he engaged in sexual misconduct on the set of his film, It Ends With Us, and hired a PR firm to engage in an online smear campaign against her to keep her quiet. Baldoni denies the allegations and has responded with a $400m countersuit, accusing her of defamation. With the trial set for March 2026, the special will examine the evidence on both sides and the response to the dispute on social media.
The special is being executive produced for ITN Productions by Mike Griffiths in London and Bruce Kennedy in New York, commissioned by Denise Seneviratne at 5, the US version has been acquired by ID. Post-production is in-house with ITN Post.
Blue Ant Studios is overseeing global licensing and distribution, as they did for ITN’s recent film Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy.
Ian Russell, Head of International at ITN Productions said: “Produced by ITN’s transatlantic team this special is a timely and in depth telling of the Hollywood story which has captured the global zeitgeist.”
Denise Seneviratne, Commissioning Editor at 5 said: “This story has captivated the world, perpetuated by social media which is still gaining momentum. It feels really pertinent for us as a channel to be making this film within the context of ‘#Me too’. We’re very happy to be working with ITN on this UK feature length version.”
-ENDS-
He Said, She Said: Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni
Monday 17th March at 10pm on 5
When director Justin Baldoni announced that A-List actress Blake Lively would be the star of his film adaptation of the hit book, It Ends with Us, social media went wild with anticipation. But the controversy that has engulfed the film since its release has threatened to eclipse its message about domestic violence. Four months after the film’s release, Lively stunned Hollywood with a legal complaint, alleging Baldoni engaged in sexual misconduct on set, and that he’d then hired a PR firm to engage in an online smear campaign against her to keep her quiet. But Baldoni denied the allegations, and soon responded with a $400 million countersuit, publishing a 168-page timeline of events filled with texts and photographic evidence that disputed her account. He accused her of defamation, but also of trying to take over creative direction of the film. Now, a trial has been set for March of 2026. But the court of public opinion is already in session.
An ITN Production for 5 and ID
Executive Producers: Mike Griffiths and Bruce Kenedy
Production Manager: Nickie Hyde
About 5:
5 is the home of award-winning content from the UK’s third largest commercial PSB, a culmination of the creative transformation of Channel 5 over more than a decade. 5 is part of the Paramount Global family of brands.Through a mix of live TV channels and bingeable boxsets, the free-to-air service allows UK audiences to watch or stream the breadth of programming from Channel 5 – including Milkshake!, its dedicated preschool brand – and a wide selection from the wider Paramount family of brands, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV Entertainment Studios, the opportunity to sample some of the biggest hits from Paramount+ and more.In keeping with its PSB remit, 5 tells the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the UK, featuring well-known faces and fresh new talent. Its programme roster spans original UK drama, premium factual, true crime, science, news & current affairs and kids’ content, which continue to attract critical acclaim.Recent wins include BAFTA Television and RTS Awards for the documentary White Nanny, Black Child in 2024, along with a BAFTA nomination for Endurance Race to the Pole. Factual hit The Yorkshire Vet and the broadcaster’s series on air fryers also won RTS Yorkshire awards, while Michael Palin received the Radio Times Special Judges Award for his Channel 5 documentaries.