‘X Factor’ Runner-Up Slams Broadcaster for Not Investigating Her ‘Traumatic’ Experience

X Factor runner-up Rebecca Ferguson has slammed broadcaster ITV for not investigating a “traumatic” experience she had during her time on the music competition series. Deadline reports that Ferguson — who came in second during the seventh season of The X Factor U.K. — took to Twitter to share what appears to be a correspondence between herself and ITV reps. Prior to sharing the screenshots, Ferguson tweeted that she is “bound by multiple NDA’s” but felt that she needed to speak up because “being silent is worse I’ve lived through hell for years.”

In her emails, Ferguson lays out claims that she felt should have been addressed, such as lack of “access to independent legal advice” which she felt left her, and other contestants, subject to a “total abuse of power” from producers. The singer had previously raised concerns about the show’s “toxic” environment in an interview with ITV daytime show This Morning. She has also stated that ITV COO Sarah Clarke responded to her claims and offered an apology for her experience.

While ITV declined to investigate Ferguson’s claims further, the company did offer a lengthy statement, writing in part, “In our correspondence with Rebecca we stressed that the welfare of participants is of the highest priority at ITV as reflected in our Duty of Care Charter and the detailed guidance, introduced in 2019, we now have available for all producers, to ensure that the welfare of participants is adequately safeguarded on all our programmes. ITV responded to Rebecca with information provided to us by the producers, detailing their arrangements regarding welfare, aftercare, legal advice, and management, at the time of her participation.”

The company added: “ITV is committed to having in place suitable processes to protect the mental health and welfare of programme participants. We have continued to evolve and strengthen our approach, and we expect all producers of commissioned programmes to have in place appropriate procedures to look after the mental health of programme participants as well as their physical safety.”

Fremantle Media, another production company behind The X Factor, also issued a statement: “Duty of care is of the utmost importance to us, and we always take contributor welfare extremely seriously. During the 2010 series of The X Factor, there were robust measures in place to ensure everyone involved in the making of the programme was supported throughout their experience and beyond including a dedicated welfare team made up of psychologists, doctors, welfare producers and independent legal and management advisors with no time limit on aftercare once the show had aired. These measures were under constant review, and we have always been proactive in adapting and updating them for future series to reflect the requirements of the show.”