X Factor Winner: 'Sheeran Lawsuit Not Mine'

X Factor winner Matt Cardle has distanced himself from a multimillion-pound lawsuit involving his songwriters and Ed Sheeran.

Sheeran is being sued for more than $20m (£13.8m) by Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard.

They allege his 2014 summer hit Photograph "exploited" Cardle's 2012 single Amazing, which they wrote, on a "breathtaking scale".

Cardle tweeted: "This is not my lawsuit. I think @edsheeran is a genius & 100% deserves all his success."

Lawyer Richard Busch, who recently triumphed on behalf of Marvin Gaye's family in a copyright case, is representing the songwriters.

According to court papers posted online, the lawsuit alleges the choruses of Amazing and Photograph share 39 identical notes.

It reads: "The similarities go beyond substantial, which is itself sufficient to establish copyright infringement, and are in fact striking.

"The similarity of words, vocal style, vocal melody, melody and rhythm are clear indicators, among other things, that Photograph copies Amazing."

The parallels are also said to be "instantly recognisable to the ordinary observer", with the songwriters saying the alleged copying makes up "nearly one half" of Sheeran's single.

The lawsuit adds: "While Sheeran, McDaid, and the other Defendants received career-defining accolades, awards, and a fortune for Photograph, the true writers of much of Photograph received nothing ..."

Photograph has sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide and has 208 million YouTube views.

Amazing reached 84 in the UK charts and one million YouTube hits.

Mr Harrington and Mr Leonard are seeking a jury trial, damages in excess of $20m and royalties from the song.

They also want a permanent injunction on Photograph, which could stop Sheeran from performing it in future or selling recordings.

Photograph features on the soundtrack for the new movie Me Before You, and is admired among others by Country music star Keith Urban.

Both of these things amount to "game-changers for the careers of active songwriters", says the lawsuit.

Sheeran will have to answer the charges alongside his Photograph co-writer, Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid.

Other co-defendants include Sony/ATV Songs, Warner Music and Polar Patrol Music Publishing.

Grammy-winning Sheeran, 25, is one of the UK's top-selling artists.

He has written and co-written tracks for artists such as One Direction, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.

The case comes after a jury found the Robin Thicke hit Blurred Lines had copied Gaye's 1977 song Got To Give It Up and awarded his children nearly $7.4m (£4.9m).