Rebecca Ferguson, a former X Factor contestant, has known as for an investigation into reality TV exhibits to guard future participants, claiming there are “terrifying” occurrences occurring behind the scenes. The 36-year-old singer used Twitter to precise her concerns and request an unbiased inquiry, interviewing herself and all earlier X Factor employees from 2004 to the current day.
Ferguson, who finished second within the seventh series of the X Factor in 2010, has beforehand campaigned for the establishment of a regulatory body for the music trade to ensure artist welfare. Unauthorized shared a screenshot of an e mail she despatched to ITV and Ofcom in 2021, calling for an “urgent inquiry” into the therapy of contestants on actuality exhibits. However, she claimed her concerns had been dismissed.
In her e-mail, Ferguson listed causes for her complaint, including contestants being “mentally manipulated and abused while having psychological health problems” and being “reduced to tears due to pressure/bullying”. She additionally mentioned contestants being “forced into contracts without impartial legal advice” and being made to “sign to a administration firm with no freedom of choice”. According to her, contestants have been advised that in the occasion that they refused, they’d be “kicked off the show”.
An Ofcom spokesperson said that that they had replied to Ferguson and met together with her virtually in 2021, explaining their powers and broadcasting rules intimately. They confirmed that new guidelines launched to protect members in programmes were not relevant to shows broadcast earlier than April 5, 2021.
ITV responded to Ferguson’s allegations, stating that they’re “committed to having in place appropriate processes to guard the psychological well being and welfare of programme participants”. They emphasised that their obligation of care constitution and “detailed guidance”, introduced in 2019, reflects contestant welfare as their “highest priority”.
The broadcaster has confronted criticism in recent times following the deaths of former Love Island contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis in 2018 and 2019, and the demise of a guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show in 2019, which led to the show’s cancellation..