Member-only story
Opinion — Reality TV is a breeding-ground for exploitation
X Factor star Lucy Spraggan has spoken publicly about her experience on the reality show, describing it as an ‘abusive relationship.’
Reality TV has been divisive for about as long as it’s been on air.
Whether you love it or hate it, these shows continue to pull in ratings, luring hordes of wannabe-stars who are ill-prepared for the complexities of fame.
Lucy Spraggan, a former X Factor contestant who found overnight stardom in 2012 (when the show was at its peak), has spoken out for the first time about her experience on the show.
Only 20-years-old at the time, Spraggan left the competition early citing an illness. But she now says her abrupt exit was due to a far darker reality — Spraggan was raped by a member of hotel staff a few weeks into the live shows.
Her story is harrowing, but Spraggan has broken the anonymity legally granted to survivors of sexual assault in order to warn others of reality TV’s dangers.
Show executives had moved Spraggan to the hotel in which she was attacked, away from the glamorous Corinthia hotel where other contestants were guarded by 24-hour security.
