UK X Factor contestant reveals she was raped during filming of talent show; Praises Simon Cowell
UK X Factor contestant reveals she was raped during filming of talent show; Praises Simon Cowell
British former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan has revealed that she was a victim of rape during her time on the show in 2012.
At the time, viewers were only told that Spraggan – one of the favourites to win the series – had suddenly left the competition due to illness. Now, on the eve of the publication of her memoir, Spraggan has told The Guardian newspaper that she was actually attacked at night in her hotel room, where she was staying during her participation in the TV talent contest.
Spraggan has detailed the incident, which came after a drunken night out in London with other contestants. After a hotel porter had helped her into her room and she passed out, the same porter returned and raped her. He was later traced by his keycard record and given a ten-year jail sentence at trial the following year.
At the time, Spraggan’s name was kept out of the press and, although she said she would have been happy to waive her anonymity, she was advised to keep quiet herself.
She writes now in her book, quoted by The Guardian, that she was offered every little support by production company Fremantle Media following the trial:
“No one ever contacted me to ask if I was OK. No one called or emailed when the trial was over and he was convicted. No one offered me rehabilitation or ongoing mental health treatment. I was on my own.”
Spraggan said she wrote to Fremantle Media and, while they expressed their concern for her experience, denied they had neglected their duty of care towards her.
Both Fremantle Media and broadcaster ITV expressed their regrets for her ordeal to The Guardian.
By contrast, she has praise for the show’s star and producer, Simon Cowell, who was working in the US during that particular series, but later apologised to her for not supporting her.
Cowell said in the response to Spraggan’s story coming to light:
“What happened to Lucy was horrific and heartbreaking.
“When I was given the opportunity to speak to Lucy, I was able to personally tell her how sorry I was about everything she has been through.
“Although we met under tragic circumstances, a genuine friendship and a mutual respect has developed between us.
“Lucy is one of the most authentic, talented, and brave people I have ever met.
“Since we connected, I have had the honour to work with Lucy and I have always supported her wish to tell her story as well as her efforts to bring about positive change. “
Spraggan tells the newspaper she was motivated to speak out, first by the advent of the #MeToo movement, and then the death of UK Love Island host Caroline Flack.
“I believed that Caroline’s death would be the start of a huge industry shift, “That there would be a realisation that ‘we’ve been treating human beings like corporate commodities. How do we change this?
“My goal is for the introduction of an industry standard where reality-production companies take a percentage of their budget and deposit that into a mental health pension scheme that production staff, presenters and contestants can access for the rest of their lives.”
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