14 June 2023 , 19:00
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ITV's top boss Dame Carolyn McCall has dismissed claims the network "fobbed off" musician Rebecca Ferguson.
Rebecca, 36, found fame on The X Factor in 2010 and in recent years has opened up about her experience, which she says was far from perfect.
The musician has been campaigning for more welfare checks and behind-the-scenes work on reality shows to protect those who enter as contestants.
Just days ago, the Liverpudlian stated she had reached out to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom to conduct a full investigation into reality TV shows.
Dame Carolyn McCall DBE has denied claims ITV "fobbed" Rebecca Ferguson off (PA)Taking to Twitter, the Nothing Left but Family singer shared a screenshot of an email to the watchdog which she sent on March 201, 2021.
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Rebecca who was training to be a lawyer before finding fame claims she was "refused" by ITV and Ofcom and no investigation had taken place, with her concerns "fobbed off".
In her email, she claims that contestants were "forced into contracts without independent legal advice," adding that the ITV show gave contestants a solicitor, they are "mentally manipulated and abused", "reduced to tears due to pressure/bullying", "forced to sign to a management company with no freedom of choice," before adding that if they said no, they would be eliminated from the programme.
Rebecca claims X Factor contestants were "bullied" and forced into signing contracts (rebeccaferguson__/Instagram)Concluding her email, Rebecca noted that while she and acts from her year, including One Direction, Katie Waissel and Matt Cardle have gone on to have successful careers, she was "very concerned" about future contestants.
During a hearing with the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Dame Carolyn McCall said the allegations were taken "seriously" and that Freemantle, who produced the show should have met with Rebecca.
Dame Caroline Dinenage who was chairing the committee asked if there had been an "arrogance in dismissing her concerns and saying 'we've dealt with this'," to which McCall responded: "I honestly don't think that's our attitude to this.
"We worked with Fremantle, we asked the producer to deal with it, just as we would deal with it as a producer on behalf of the broadcaster.
"The broadcaster is broadcasting the show. We now particularly have very strict requirements on the duty of care. In 2010/2011, Fremantle would have been dealing with the day-to-day and so (ITV’s chief operations officer) Sarah Clarke put that through to Fremantle because they're the producer, and said: 'Actually, if Rebecca was going to meet with anybody, it should have been Fremantle,' they're still alive and well."
Rebecca claims her complaints and concerns were "fobbed off" (Liverpool Echo)Meanwhile, Kyla Mullins, ITV's company secretary claimed that when Rebecca raised her concerns in 2021, they were passed on to the production company.
"They responded to all of those (concerns)," Kyla said before adding: "I think the key message was that actually the issues where Rebecca focused on and was suggesting that things needed to change, there needed to be a different approach to how the music industry deals with young people entering record contracts and how companies like Fremantle run things.
"There was confirmation on, I think, every point that she raised that actually things had moved on and moved on quite significantly and that they took the duty of care very seriously and there had been changes in the industry."
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Kyla added that ITV delivered there was "nothing really" for the broadcaster to investigate.
A spokesperson for X Factor told the Mirror: "Duty of care is of the utmost importance to us, and we always take contributor welfare extremely seriously.
"During the 2010 series of The X Factor, there were robust measures in place to ensure everyone involved in the making of the programme was supported throughout their experience and beyond 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."
They added that those competing in the live show stage of The X Factor were represented by a "reputable management company".