X Factor's Lasting Impact: Contestants Speak Out on Trauma and Career Hindrance

Former contestants of the ITV talent show The X Factor have spoken out about the significant personal toll the experience took on their lives, with some describing it as an "abusive relationship" and others feeling it hindered their subsequent music careers.

Lucy Spraggan, Jahmène Douglas, and Myles Stephenson, who all appeared on the show, reflected on the trauma and lasting impact of their time on the program during a roundtable discussion. The show, which was once a staple of Saturday night television, has faced increasing criticism in recent years regarding alleged abuse and bullying.

Jahmène Douglas stated that while the show offered prominence, it ultimately hindered his music career. "It didn't… it hindered my music career I would say," he explained. He believes The X Factor prioritizes reality television narratives and personal stories over developing artists, which impacts how contestants are treated both during and after the show.

Douglas's participation came after a difficult personal history, including his family's experience with domestic abuse and being placed in witness protection. He saw his audition as an opportunity to reclaim control over his life and demonstrate resilience to his siblings. However, he felt the show reduced his complex life circumstances to a "sob story."

Lucy Spraggan, who competed in 2012, said that while the show provided a unique career opportunity, she "lost herself for about a decade." She recounted a particularly difficult experience when her grandmother passed away during the competition. Spraggan stated she returned from the funeral and was repeatedly questioned by production staff about her week, eventually being asked directly about her grandmother's death. She later saw the news of her grandmother's passing included in her televised introduction, just before a live performance.

Spraggan described her overall experience with the program as an "abusive relationship," alleging tight control over contestants' food, movements, and access to family, leading to a lack of privacy and independence. A more serious revelation from Spraggan detailed a sexual assault by a hotel porter while she was a contestant in 2012. She has stated she was intoxicated and unconscious at the time of the assault. She credits fellow contestant Rylan Clark with helping to secure her door, which she believes aided in the identification of the perpetrator by police. The individual was subsequently convicted and received a 13-year prison sentence.

Following the assault, Spraggan faced potential health risks and had to consider medication. Publicly, her departure from the show was attributed to illness. She also noted receiving no subsequent contact from the program after the finale. The experience, she believes, contributed to years of professional and personal struggles.

In response to such allegations, an X Factor spokesperson previously stated that duty of care is of "utmost importance" and that measures including a dedicated welfare team of psychologists, doctors, and independent advisors were in place. These measures, they added, were under constant review and adapted for future series.

Discussing the possibility of a show revival, Douglas emphasized the need for a fundamental overhaul, including greater transparency about the type of artists the show aims to develop and ensuring support for genres it can adequately sustain. Myles Stephenson expressed skepticism about whether television producers can provide adequate care in the current media landscape, where social media can amplify both fame and criticism. He also suggested that alternative routes into the music industry exist beyond primetime television appearances.

Spraggan, however, believes a reimagined talent show could still have a place, provided it prioritizes education, therapy, and safeguarding, alongside a realistic understanding of the music business.