The BBC has paid �8,000 in settlement to a contestant on the reality show Castaway who says he was misrepresented by the programme.

Ron Copsey's lawyers said he was made to appear violent against women after it was made to seem he had thrown a chair at a female contestant.

Copsey left the island seven months early, later accusing the BBC and producers Lion TV of "fabricating" the incident.

He then launched legal action against the programme makers.

Lion TV has also paid �8,000 to Copsey, with the settlement involving a joint apology in the High Court.

A spokesman said: "After taking into account the cost of defending the claim... we took the decision to settle the action and agreed to pay Ron Copsey by way of damages �8,000.

"We have amended the ambiguous voiceover line so it couldn't be taken as meaning that he had thrown the chair at a fellow Castaway."

The year-long experimental show was aimed to show the trials and tribulations of 36 people living on the Hebridean island of Taransay.

Newspaper account

Copsey, a psychotherapist, claimed the show was biased towards some of the other contestants and told his side in national newspapers.

"I'm not an argumentative, aggressive, nasty piece of work. It was shocking," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"They led the public to believe that the island was glad to see the back of me and I had no friends, but I'm still in contact with over half the community."

A BBC spokesman said: "We can confirm that we have settled an action by Ron Copsey in relation to an episode of Castaway and have paid him �8,000 in final settlement."

Copsey's barrister Korieh Duodu, of media lawyers David Price, said his client was "happy" with the settlement and that it represented a victory.