A celebrity has challenged the media's right to report on family court cases by demanding a blanket ban to block journalists from attending to protect the privacy of children involved in the proceedings.

The Guardian reports that a man of "celebrity status and a highly-publicised lifestyle" has challenged rules introduced in April that opened the family courts to the media – a move intended to promote a culture of "openness" in the legal system.

It comes after Earl Spencer and his estranged wife Caroline agreed to settle their divorce case out of court last week to avoid publicity.

Their decision followed Mr Justice Munby's decision in the High Court to reject the couple's demands to exclude reporters from their final private hearing.

Lord Spencer, who was previously married to Victoria Lockwood, has two children with Caroline.

Mr Justice Mundy described their decision to settle the hearing out of court as "an attempt to circumvent the procedure laid down in the new rules".