THOUGH Michael Flatley is undoubtedly enjoying the thrills of new fatherhood - baby Michael Junior was born on April 26 - there's also some business he'll have to attend to that's not so nice, as his former manager Martin Flitton has launched a lawsuit in London for unpaid fees.

Both men would undoubtedly agree that it's a shame their long-standing relationship, both personal and business, has come down to communications via lawyers and spokespeople. The British-born Flitton has been at Michael's side for years and years, and even served as a groomsman at his wedding last October to Niamh O'Brien.

Flatley, according to his newest publicity person Garry Farrow, has yet to respond to Flitton's action, but he has every intention of doing so.

"Listen, it appears to be open season to sue Michael Flatley now. This matter will be dealt with appropriately, and down all the right avenues. It (the claim) will be vigorously contested," Farrow told the Sunday Independent.

According to the Indo, Flitton was the driving force behind the staging of Flatley's show Feet of Flames in London a few years back. It certainly was a smart move, as the DVD of the event sold more than a million copies.

"It is a bit involved," Flitton told the paper about his action against Flatley. "It's about him and his entities: it is financial. Everything in life comes down to cash."

And that's a crying shame. How things could have gotten so bad so quickly between the two is a mystery that hopefully they'll be able to resolve without the airing of dirty laundry in court that, at the end of the day, will only best serve the tabloids.