Former The X Factor host Dermot O’Leary has come out in defence of the show as he insisted contestants were taken care of.
Several former contestants have come out and slammed the show in recent years, including Katie Waissel, Rebecca Ferguson, Cher Loyd and Jedward.
But Dermot views things differently, and believes the show itself ‘treated people really well’.
It was the after care the former presenter of the ITV talent show admits needs attention, telling The Sunday Times: ‘If there is a duty of care to be looked at, it’s what happens afterwards.’
‘But in my experience, it was always taken seriously on the show — and would be even more thorough now,’ he added.
‘If the show was made now, it’d be made differently,’ Dermott admitted, as he said the culture has changed since – and acknowledged that not every contestant was going to have the best experience.
Former The X Factor host Dermot O’Leary has come out in defence of the show to The Sunday Times as he insisted contestants were taken care of (Seen on show in 2018)
Dermot views things differently, and believes the show itself ‘treated people really well’ (Seen in February)
However the presenter said the show was ‘pretty much always celebratory’ and took care of its contestants.
He also shared that from hearing the negative experiences of former contestants, he thought they often focused on their time after leaving the show rather than being on it.
And Dermot even said he believes contestants actually missed the bubble of the show once they had left.
In October, former winner Matt Terry slammed the show, saying he hopes it ‘never’ returns to screens and it’s ‘not good for people’.
The singer, 31, won the thirteenth series of the ITV show in 2016 and signed to Simon Cowell’s label Syco shortly thereafter.
But fame doesn’t come easy for many of the show’s participants with Matt claiming some ex-contestants still struggle with it today, six years after the show ended.
Asked if he thinks the show should come back, he told MailOnline: ‘Never! It’s not good – it’s not good for people. I’m strong, and I know how I dealt with it.
‘You go in there and you’re built up, and I was a waiter beforehand, so I’d never done anything of the sort, and you’re kind of thrust in.
Several former contestants have slammed the show in recent years, including Katie Waissel, Rebecca Ferguson, Cher Loyd and Jedward (Dermot seen with Katie Waissel and Aiden Grimshaw in 2010)
In October, former winner Matt Terry slammed the show, saying he hopes it ‘never’ returns to screens and it’s ‘not good for people’ (Matt and Dermot seen in 2017)
‘If X Factor comes back, I just hope they put some sort of psychological moment in for people. There are people who have come years before me, that are still confused and struggle with their identity.
‘I’m just so happy I got to a place where I feel like, you know what, I did it, it’s part of my story, but it’s not all of me. I can’t let this one thing define me.’
Matt, who released his debut album Trouble in 2017, told how he struggled to adjusted to fame after the show.
He also found there was ‘no support’ when the series ended and he ‘struggled’ after.
He said: ‘For me it felt like I’d finished the show, and off you go into the big wide world, on your own. There was no support, and I just didn’t realise it.
‘When I came off the show, it changed my life, and it opened many doors, but I struggled definitely. Afterwards, there wasn’t anyone there to help me.
‘I’m grateful that I’ve got a good set of friends and solid family, which is lucky because not everybody has that, to say, ‘You’re human, you’re fine, you’re not just an X Factor winner, but you’re also Matt Terry, the person.’
A spokesperson for The X Factor told MailOnline: ‘We take the welfare of everyone involved in our shows extremely seriously and during Matt’s time on the show in 2016, there were robust measures in place to ensure everyone involved in the making of the programme was supported throughout their experience and beyond.
Former X Factor contestant Katie Waissel previously said the show ‘ruined’ her life
Jedward have also previously hit out at the show, saying: ‘The biggest regret in life was not telling the judges on X Factor to f**k off’
Matt also spoke about Lucy Spraggan who left The X Factor in 2012 after she was raped by a hotel porter while taking part on the show
‘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.’
MailOnline understands that a psychologist was present at all judge auditions, bootcamp and key stages in the competition and a doctor was on hand to supervise the screening of participants for welfare concerns and provide support across the series.
A dedicated welfare producer was present at the participant house and in the studios acting as the day-to-day contact for the participants and medical or psychological support provided was on a confidential basis.
Matt also spoke about Lucy Spraggan who left The X Factor in 2012 after she was raped by a hotel porter while taking part on the show.
Matt said: ‘It shocked me, and it also proves how far it has come along. That wasn’t happening when I was on [the show], so if it does come back, and I hope it doesn’t for the contestants’ sake.’
Former X Factor contestant Katie Waissel previously said the show ‘ruined’ her life.
Throughout the course of the singing competition, Waissel said she received acid attack and death threats, and suffered both panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.
The singer said she has since sought therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder following her time on the show.
She also founded the OWHL Foundation to help others who have experienced a similar situation to her. On its website, the foundation says it aims to ‘oversee the welfare, human rights and liberty within the creative industry sector’.
Cher Lloyd claimed in a TikTok video that she was ‘sold a dream’ when appearing on the show at 17, before being exploited
Rebecca Ferguson has claimed the music industry is hiding ‘awful human rights abuses’ and that she has endured ‘systematic misogyny and bullying’ throughout her career.
Looking back through contracts she signed during her time on the X Factor, she told the Times: ‘There are so many of us who have been so trapped and it’s not fair, there was a huge imbalance in power.’
Former contestants Jedward have also previously hit out at the show, tweeting in April 2021: ‘Every contestant on the X Factor was a slave to the show and got paid Zero while they made millions!’
In another tweet, they added: ‘The biggest regret in life was not telling the judges on X Factor to f**k off’.
Cher Lloyd, who finished fourth in the 2010 edition of X Factor, claimed she was ‘sold a dream’ when appearing on the show at 17, before being exploited.
In a duet shared on TikTok, she sang: ‘How could I be so naive? They sold me the dream just to exploit me.
‘Said darling darling you’ll go far if you shake that a** and date a star. And if the record’s taking off we’ll take the money.’
Rebecca Ferguson has claimed the music industry is hiding ‘awful human rights abuses’ and that she has endured ‘systematic misogyny and bullying’ throughout her career.
The singer, who came in second place on the reality show’s seventh series, said her experience was common but claimed poor behaviour was being ignored because people thought ‘you have to put up with it’.
She was one of a series of stars to give evidence to MPs on the Women and Equalities Committee as part of a report into misogyny and discrimination in the UK music scene.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme in January, she said: ‘I’ve had to deal with misogyny and bullying and really awful treatment my entire career. As the committee has found, it’s pretty rife within the music industry.
‘It’s systemic, and I’m just so glad that the committee has asked the government for urgent action.’
