Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black will face trial in the U.K. for an assault case involving BBC reality show host Teddy Edwardes that stems from a spilled drink.
The writer of “Milk” (2008) appeared in the Westminster Magistrates Court in London to plead not guilty to a charge of assault by beating. He has been released on unconditional bail, and he will reappear in court Aug. 8.
The charges stem from an August encounter between Black and Edwardes at Freedom, a nightclub in London’s Soho, where Black’s husband, Olympic diver Tom Daley, was also in attendance. Edwardes, who hosts BBC3’s “The Big Proud Party Agency,” reportedly posted on Instagram after Black allegedly threw a drink over the celebrity, who also appeared on BBC gameshow “Unbreakable.”
“I went out for a couple of quiet drinks with my friends last night, nothing crazy, and I bumped into Tom Daley and his husband in Soho, who… pretty much unprovoked he threw an entire drink over me in Freedom. I didn’t have a drink to throw back so I did choose violence, it wasn’t that violent, he got a little tap on the back of the head.”
Black posted on social media the following month, writing of a concussion that caused him to pause creative activity in order to recover from the head injury.
“A month ago I sustained a serious head injury that put me out of commission. Showing little improvement, my doctors ordered me to shut off my brain in hopes of it healing. This has been a challenging, frightening time for a creative type who depends on what’s in his skull to work, care and love,” he wrote on Instagram last September. “And now I understand the road back will be long. But this week my sweet, over the top husband took us to the Greek Islands to make me shut off. I can already feel this trip is a step in the right direction, and I finally feel safe sharing a bit again. Thank you for all of your love and patience. More to come. Promise.”
A representative for Black shared a statement with TheWrap about the situation.
“Mr Black was surprised and saddened to learn that after the other person involved in this unfortunate incident took responsibility and expressed remorse for a punch to the back of Mr Black’s head – which left him with a life altering concussion – a decision was made to now examine the matter of a spilled drink in a court of law,” the statement reads. “Of course Mr Black will respect the process, and in the meantime will continue to focus on being a loving father and husband.”
