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Former X Issue star Rebecca Ferguson has known as for an investigation into actuality TV reveals, to “defend future contestants”, claiming there are “terrifying” issues occurring behind the scenes.
The 36-year-old posted a sequence of tweets on Twitter, telling her 645,000 followers: “I am certain by a number of NDAs however I can’t proceed to not reside in my full fact, being silent is worse. I’ve lived by hell for years.”
She went on to name on Dame Caroline Dinenage, the chair of parliament’s tradition, media and sport committee, to ask for an impartial inquiry, interviewing herself, and all earlier X Issue employees between 2004 and the current day, including “what you will uncover is past terrifying!”
In 2010, the Liverpool-born singer got here second on the seventh sequence of the show, which was received by Matt Cardle.
Ferguson has beforehand campaigned for the introduction of a regulatory physique for the music business, in a bid to make sure artist welfare.
She went on to share a screenshot of an e mail which she mentioned she despatched to ITV and Ofcom in 2021 calling for an “pressing inquiry” into the remedy of contestants on actuality reveals, however mentioned she had been “fobbed off”.
Ferguson wrote: “I used to be refused by ITV and OFCOM, no investigation was taken place and my issues seemed to be fobbed off.
“I’m open to communication ought to they now want to observe up with my personal criticism now that I’ve made my criticism public.”
Within the e mail, she listed causes for her criticism together with contestants being “mentally manipulated and abused while having psychological well being issues” and being “lowered to tears as a consequence of strain/bullying”.
She mentioned contestants had been additionally “pressured into contracts with out impartial authorized recommendation” and made to “signal to a administration firm with no freedom of alternative”. She mentioned contestants had been advised in the event that they refused, they’d be “kicked off the present”.
She mentioned her purpose for making the “formal criticism” to OFCOM in 2021 was “to make sure the longer term security of contestants and guarantee sufficient safeguarding measures are put in place to guard future contestants”.
An Ofcom spokesperson mentioned that they did reply to Ferguson and met along with her nearly in 2021.
They mentioned in a press release: “We listened fastidiously to the extent of her issues in regards to the remedy of contestants throughout her time on The X Think about 2010.
“Throughout these exchanges, we defined our powers and the way our broadcasting guidelines apply intimately. We confirmed that new guidelines launched to guard members in programmes weren’t relevant to programmes broadcast earlier than April 5, 2021.
“We additionally clarified that our statutory remit, as set by parliament, implies that our equity guidelines don’t lengthen to contractual issues or circumstances imposed by broadcasters on members, and solely to content material as broadcast.
“We steered to Ms Ferguson doable routes to escalate her complaints to ITV and the suitable authorities.”
ITV responded to Ferguson’s claims, saying they had been “dedicated to having in place appropriate processes to guard the psychological well being and welfare of programme members”.
Their assertion went on: “We now have continued to evolve and strengthen our strategy, and we count on all producers of commissioned programmes to have in place applicable procedures to take care of the psychological well being of programme members in addition to their bodily security.
“These processes and procedures will differ from programme to programme, to make sure that the welfare of all members in ITV programmes is appropriately safeguarded.
“While the sensible detailed processes required to handle participant welfare in every programme should sit with producers themselves, ITV as a broadcaster and commissioner of content material supplies steering on what we take into account to be finest observe: within the choice of members earlier than filming, in supporting them throughout filming, and in continued assist as much as and after the published of the programme.”
ITV mentioned that in its correspondence with Ferguson it had harassed contestant welfare was of the “highest precedence”, as mirrored of their duty of care charter and “detailed guidance” which was launched in 2019.
They mentioned: “ITV responded to Rebecca with data supplied to us by the producers, detailing their preparations relating to welfare, aftercare, authorized recommendation, and administration, on the time of her participation.”
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 visitor on The Jeremy Kyle Present in 2019, which resulted within the present being axed.
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After rising to fame on X Issue, Ferguson has gone on to launch 4 albums and have become a panellist on ITV’s Free Girls.
In 2021 she met with former tradition secretary Oliver Dowden to debate discrimination within the music business.
Final month, ITV introduced it had instructed a barrister to carry out an external review of the information after Phillip Schofield’s departure from fashionable breakfast present This Morning, following an affair with a youthful worker.
ITV chief government Dame Carolyn McCall can be questioned in regards to the Schofield scandal by the DCMS committee in parliament on Wednesday.
Chair of the committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, advised Sky Information the assembly will not be a “witch hunt” against the former presenter, however is meant to ask wider questions on office tradition and practices inside each ITV and different public service broadcasters.
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