Harry Styles faces legal threat over missing candy bar payment
Comedian Joe Lycett goes head-to-head with Harry Styles. He has seriously announced that he intends to take legal action because the singer has not paid him for a purchased painting.
11:01 AM EDT, June 25, 2024
British comedian Joe Lycett is a charismatic speaker and a very talented artist. He painted his own version of David Hockney's portrait of Harry Styles in a red and yellow cardigan and a pearl necklace (which was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2023). This painting has now become the center of a dispute.
The comedian explained that when he showed his artwork on social media, Harry Styles contacted him because he wanted to buy it. In Joe Lycett's rendition, the artist's head is replaced with an egg.
"I think it’s incredibly important that I purchase this portrait from you. If you’d ever consider parting ways with this masterpiece, I’d like to hang it in my home immediately. Hope you’ve been well. H." - the musician wrote in a private message to the British comedian. The transaction went through, but Joe Lycett is dissatisfied with its outcome and... threatens Harry with a lawsuit.
Harry Styles owes the comedian a candy bar
The artists haggled a bit before agreeing on the payment. Joe Lycett determined that an appropriate price for the portrait of Harry Styles was eight pounds. The singer did not share this view and tried to negotiate the price down to six. Ultimately, they settled on a "reasonable price": six pounds and a Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter candy bar. The comedian sent the painting to the address provided by Harry Styles and included a signed certificate of authenticity.
"And I put an invoice in there with a reminder that payment was now due and finally, after quite a lot of nudging, something arrived," the comedian announced on TikTok. Harry sent him a thank-you card and six pounds. There was no trace of the agreed-upon candy bar.
A lawsuit for Harry Styles. Will the case be settled in court?
The comedian got seriously angry since the candy bar was missing from the singer's package. "This morning, I met with local Birmingham lawyer Chase Morgan – they normally deal with shoplifting and disputes about alleyways – who told me I have grounds for a case for something called specific performance," said Joe Lycett. He added that he intends to legally instruct Harry to perform the act of giving him a Kit Kat Chunky Peanut Butter.
The singer has until Wednesday, June 26th, to decide — either they resolve it peacefully, or the candy bar issue will go to court. "Your move, Harry," the comedian says ominously.