The legal battle between comedian and local TV personality Soli Philander and former Good Hope FM presenter Nigel Pierce has come to an end with the parties settling out of court.

Philander instituted a defamation suit for R150 000 against the SABC, Pierce and station manager Paul Kay after a controversial Good Hope FM breakfast show a year ago in which Pierce asked callers who had had sex with celebrities to phone in.

One caller, who did not identify himself, contacted Pierce and claimed on air that he'd had casual sex with Philander in a Cape Town hotel room two months earlier.

Philander said the statement was false and sued Pierce and Kay, saying they had control over the content of the radio show and over discussions with callers.

The civil case was to have been heard in the Cape High Court on Thursday, but the parties settled.

Justice Jock Comrie made the settlement an order of court.

According to the order, the defendants are to pay Philander an undisclosed amount "as damages for the injury suffered by him and his family as a result of the matter broadcast", as well as Philander's legal costs.

Philander said he believed Pierce resorted to "schoolboyish humour" in his broadcasting.

"If broadcasting is his passion, he should realise he has a responsibility," Philander said.

The court case had not been about his sexual behaviour, but about responsibility, he said.

"I took a stand on this for my family and also for what is decent and moral."

After the settlement, Philander's attorney, Deena Moodly, said: "I'm glad they were prepared to compensate for the irresponsible way in which the show was handled.

"There are consequences to irresponsibility."

Pierce said the show was meant to be a joke and Philander took himself too seriously.

"It was an idea which was formed in the United Kingdom," he said, adding that such celebrities as Sting and Rod Stewart had been targeted.

Responding to Philander's claims that he should be more responsible, Pierce said he could be very serious, but his show at Good Hope FM was an entertainment medium.

Asked whether he was sorry, Pierce said: "No, life goes on.

You can ask anyone who has tuned into CapeTalk of late.

"I haven't held back any punches."

He said he did not have any ill feelings towards Philander.

With acknowledgements to Fatima Schroeder and Cape Times.