The X Factor’s Katie Waissel has vowed to hold ITV accountable to ensure “justice is done” as she commented on the ongoing allegations against the broadcaster on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old singer, who previously claimed her appearance on the show “ruined her life” in 2010, supported another star of the show, Rebecca Ferguson, who made fresh allegations this week.
Rebecca, 36, says ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall fobbed her off to her deputy after the singer wrote to the broadcaster on March 11, 2021 asking it to deal with the codes of conduct and aftercare of shows like ‘X Factor’ to deal with , Britain’s Got Talent and Love Island.
Rebecca went to the Metropolitan Police in 2021 to report allegations of harassment and coercive control against a senior male industry figure following her appearance on the X Factor.
In support of her, Katie wrote on Twitter on Wednesday, sharing one of Rebecca’s tweets: “Fear not as I am NOT bound by non-disclosure agreements and will hold your and everyone else’s hands in every way possible to ensure the truth gets out Light is coming.” and justice will be served! #Freedom #JourneyforJustice #Weareinthistogether.’
Bold: The X Factor’s Katie Waissel has vowed to hold ITV accountable to ensure “justice is done” as she commented on the ongoing allegations against the broadcaster on Wednesday
Pals: The 37-year-old singer, who previously claimed that her appearance on the show “ruined her life” in 2010, supported another star of the show, Rebecca Ferguson
She then added: “Unfortunately, and with the utmost love and respect, based on historical and current facts, even if an investigation were to take place (which you and I have publicly advocated for years) it appears that it would The problems are far more entrenched and encroaching on the political arena than one can imagine.
“The real question is WHY hasn’t there already been a public inquiry that could have prevented further corruption that appears to be ongoing.”
Dame Carolyn faces further questions about investigations into the channel’s treatment of reality stars after Rebecca claimed the chief executive rejected her request to open an investigation.
Ms Ferguson says she spoke to numerous former ITV talents, who told her about their difficult experiences, and the letter came after three Love Island stars, including presenter Caroline Flack, took their own lives.
The singer also asked Dame Carolyn to investigate which management companies ITV placed the stars with after the shows.
But Dame Carolyn didn’t respond to the Liverpool-born singer’s request. Instead, the network’s chief executive, Sarah Clarke, wrote to Ms Ferguson almost two weeks later that the network would not launch any investigation.
Ms Clarke insisted the broadcaster follows a due diligence charter. She apologized for the bad experiences the stars had had.
Confident: Katie was supportive, writing on Twitter: “Fear not as I am NOT bound by non-disclosure agreements and will hold your and everyone else’s hands in any way I can.”
Saying her word: She followed up with another tweet indicating an investigation should have already taken place
Difficult: Rebecca, 36, says ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall (pictured) fobbed her off to her deputy after the singer wrote to the broadcaster on March 11, 2021 asking it to come to terms with the codes of conduct and aftercare of to deal with post-show shipments
Scary: Rebecca went to the Met Police in 2021 to report allegations of harassment and coercive control against a senior male industry figure following her appearance on the show
Update: Rebecca tweeted screenshots of the email she sent to ITV about her experience
Documents: She also tweeted a reply which she sent to ITV’s Chief Operating Officer Sarah Clarke
Ms Ferguson has now appealed to the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, to launch an inquiry into safeguards and other practices at the broadcaster.
It followed Phillip Schofield’s shocked departure from “This Morning” over his relationship with a young runner on the show, prompting questions about ITV’s handling of the affair and accusations of a “toxic” culture on the show.
ITV bosses were under pressure to admit what they knew and when about the veteran presenter’s affair, and they had refused to answer questions from the Mail about the investigation they allegedly carried out in 2020.
Then, in a humiliating relegation after a crisis management team meeting last week, the broadcaster said it would now be bringing in a lawyer to “perform an external review to establish the facts.”
Dame Carolyn insists she was lied to by the presenter. She was asked to testify before Parliament about the channel’s approach to protecting and handling complaints.
In her letter to Dame Caroline on the Culture Committee, Ms Ferguson, who says she is bound by non-disclosure agreements after appearing on ITV, said: “I am bound by several non-disclosure agreements but I cannot continue not to live in my full truth.” Silence is worse . I lived through hell for years.
“On 11 March 2021, I emailed ITV’s executive team, including Carolyn McCall, asking for an investigation into reality shows, including codes of conduct, post-show aftercare and management choice.”
“On March 24, 2021, ITV COO Sarah Clarke came back and apologized for any personal bad experience, but declined to investigate further – assuring there was a commitment to already implementing these procedures and insisting that they follow a due diligence charter.”
Ms Ferguson, who took second place in the 2010 X Factor series, also appealed to Dame Caroline to launch an independent investigation and interview the singer, all former staff and witnesses from 2004 to date and suggested that, what would be uncovered would be “more than frightening”.
Dame Carolyn’s apparent refusal to investigate the channel’s reality shows came after Love Island presenter Ms Flack took her own life in February 2020.
Previously, Love Island contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis also took their own lives in June 2018 and March 2019 respectively.
A source close to Ms Ferguson said: “She firmly believes that over the years that ITV has aired reality shows, some people have been treated really badly.”
“ITV has benefited from high ratings and huge advertising revenues through these programmes, but at times that meant people weren’t treated as well.”
“Rebecca was dismayed that Carolyn didn’t bother, it was like she didn’t want to hear it and just let her deputy fobbed her off with the same old nonsense. ‘It’s not good enough anymore.’
Ms Ferguson went to the Metropolitan Police in 2021 to report allegations of harassment and coercive control against a senior male industry figure following her appearance on the X Factor.
She claims she was targeted while working to build her career. She also met with former Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to discuss issues within the industry.
ITV has been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, Katie spoke up in January, saying: “The show ruined my life.”
Katie was a contestant on the top-watched season of The X Factor in 2010, singing to around 14 million people in their living rooms every week.
During the singing competition, Waissel said she received acid attacks and death threats, and suffered both panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.
Speaking to the Times, Waissel said she sought therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder after her time on the show.
Now, after retraining as a lawyer, Waissel is suing Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment, the production company behind the talent show, for breach of duty of care.
Waissel also started the OWHL Foundation to help others who are going through a situation similar to hers. On its website, the foundation states that its aim is “to monitor well-being, human rights and freedom in the creative industries sector”.
Looking back on the deals she signed while on the X Factor, she told the Times: “There are so many of us who are so trapped and it’s not fair, there was a huge imbalance of power. “
That motivated her to want to understand how the contracts worked so she could help other people “not to be manipulated in the future,” she said.
Waissel’s claim is against Syco Entertainment, whose subsidiary Simco co-produced the show with Fremantle.
The show has produced some of the country’s most successful acts including Harry Styles and One Direction, Little Mix, Leona Lewis and James Arthur.
With millions of viewers tuning in each Saturday night, the singing competition quickly spread to other promoters around the world, garnering huge viewership in the US, Spain and Australia.
Other contestants have also spoken about their time on the show.
Cher Lloyd also rose to fame on the 2010 series aged just 16 and said she felt “vulnerable.”
“Sometimes I got really angry,” she said in 2021. “I was angry because I went to a rehearsal, left the studio, and was followed by myself, followed by a group of 20 to 25 men with cameras.”
“I just felt really vulnerable. “Of course there was an accompanying person for each group, we were minors.”
Matt Cardle, who won the show in 2010, has also spoken out about his time on the X Factor after going into rehab for alcohol and drug addiction.
The 39-year-old singer said in 2021 that he believes sometimes reality show contestants’ “dreams and hopes” are faked in order to make great TV.
Cardle said, “There’s really a duty of care to protect, because these shows use people.” It’s as simple as that, you know. Like everyone else on this show, it was taken advantage of and I even posted the show.’
Background: Katie was a contestant on the top-watched season of The X Factor in 2010, but has since switched to law school
Hart: According to Waissel, during the course of the singing competition she received acid attacks and death threats and suffered from both panic attacks and suicidal thoughts
He continued, “It’s hard for them to navigate because they’re just trying to make good TV.” But along the way, you know, people’s hopes and dreams get messed up.”
The Times reported that the show’s co-production company, Fremantle, had strict measures in place to ensure contestants were supported, including a dedicated care team consisting of psychologists, doctors, care producers and independent legal and management consultants with no time limit for follow-up care the show was aired.’
Web has reached out to Syco Entertainment for comment.
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