A ROW about the ownership of a Highclere pub has landed celebrity chef Marco Pierre White with a massive legal bill.

The fiery chef began legal action against two of his former business partners, claiming he was owed a £175,000 share in The Yew Tree pub, which used to bear his name.

But his claim was dismissed last month and he was branded “a bit of an idiot” by a High Court judge.

The High Court heard that the case centred on a dispute over whether an agreement about Mr White’s rights to shares in the pub had been conditional on Mr White’s name being used.

Mr Justice Morgan was told that Mr White had become involved in the running of The Yew Tree in 2005 before his name was removed about five years later.

Mr White’s former friends and partners in Yew Tree Highclere Holdings, Andrew Parton and Peter Featherman, said that there was a condition that Mr White’s name could be used.

But Mr White, 47, said ‘no such pre-condition’ was agreed.

The judge dismissed Mr White’s claim and said he must pay all the costs of the case.

Reportedly, the chef could now be left with a bill for as much as £500,000.