Runaway Bride Gets Book Deal

Posted on June 21, 2005

Jennifer Wilbanks, the bride who ran away just before the wedding and falsely claimed she had been kidnapped, has landed a deal for a book and movie rights. The book deal what made by Judith Regan for ReganBooks. The book deal alone would have made headlines but a leaked memo that mentions a $500,000 payment and TV movie deal related to an appearance on NBC's Today Show with Katie Couric has created a media controversy. USA Today reports that NBC has denied offering payment for an interview:

A leaked ReganMedia memo linked the interview to potential TV movie deals and mentioned a $500,000 payment. The company confirmed an employee wrote the memo but noted that it wasn't signed and wouldn't confirm details of the arrangement.

Both Regan and NBC denied any quid pro quo or money changing hands. NBC said that there's no TV movie deal attached and that Couric and her producers simply outhustled others to get Wilbanks.

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