Popular US TV show Glee may have to change its name when shown in the UK because of a Birmingham businessman.

The declaration today follows a ruling in February that the show's maker 20th Century Fox had breached the trademark of the Glee Club, a Birmingham-based chain of comedy clubs.

Today's judgement by Deputy High Court Judge Roger Wyand said the show must "cease naming" the series Glee.

However, he said the order would not come into effect until the Court of Appeal had given its backing.

Comic Enterprises runs four venues - in Birmingham Oxford, Nottingham and Cardiff - branded with the Glee Club trademark which was registered in 1999.

In February, it won its case which claimed 20th Century Fox had breached its trademark rights to the phrase The Glee Club.

Judge Wyand said at the time that Comic Enterprises' trademark was "suffering detriment" and there was a "likelihood of confusion".

But the judge added that Comic Enterprises had not established that 20th Century Fox had "passed off" Glee as being associated with Glee Club venues.

He said he was not convinced that "such confusion is likely to be said to cause damage" to Comic Enterprises.

The US TV giant disagreed with the trademark breach decision and vowed to appeal the ruling.

Lawyers for 20th Century Fox argued that, in the wake of those conclusions, an order requiring a series name change was unnecessary, unfair and disproportionate.

The Birmingham Post has launched a free app for iPad and iPhone. Download it here.