Katie Waissel, a former contestant on The X Factor, has alleged that the staff of the program made fun of her mental health while she was on the program.
In 2010, the 37-year-old competed alongside One Direction and came in seventh overall.
She claimed that she was treated lightly despite being denigrated in the media as the year's "most hated" competitor.
When Waissel was at her "lowest point," she claimed that she was "completely ridiculed" in internal emails.
She was called a "drama queen" in one email that the BBC was able to view.
A representative for X Factor stated that "robust measures" were in place to support those associated with the program.
Waissel read out a number of additional emails she had obtained from ITV and the X Factor production companies via a GDPR request on a Twitter space on last Wednesday. .
One was after she had passed out while out shopping, and the writer said: "I don't think she was over-dramatizing this situation.".
She also cited another in which producers called her parents and asked them to persuade her to see a doctor after she had experienced a number of "panic attacks.".
Instead, the production "should have sent me home," Waissel claimed.
I wanted to return home. It was awful beyond belief. ".
According to an X Factor spokesperson, "contributor welfare is always of the utmost importance to us, and we always take it extremely seriously.".
"There were strong measures in place during the 2010 season of The X Factor to ensure that everyone involved in the making of the program was supported throughout their experience and beyond. These measures included 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 continually being reviewed, and we have always taken proactive steps to adapt and update them for upcoming series to reflect the needs of the show. ".
Waissel urged lawmakers to resume a 2019 investigation into reality TV programs and questioned why ITV CEO Dame Carolyn McCall had only recently been invited to testify before parliament about the broadcaster's safeguarding practices, despite the fact that she and other contestants had been raising concerns for years.
In order to address rumors that This Morning host Phillip Schofield was having an affair with a younger, male staff member, Dame Carolyn will appear before MPs on Tuesday.
Waissel made his remarks after Rebecca Ferguson, another contestant on the 2010 season of the X Factor, revealed that ITV had declined to launch an internal investigation into her allegations of a "traumatic experience" and "foul play" on the show.
She shared screenshots on Tuesday of an email she claimed to have sent to ITV and Ofcom in 2021 with a "formal complaint" about how contestants were treated.
She claimed that the competitors had been "mentally manipulated and abused" and "driven to tears by pressure/bullying.".
But she claimed that she had been "fobbed off" when she requested an investigation.
While stating that it lacks jurisdiction over the "conditions imposed by broadcasters on participants" on reality shows, an Ofcom spokesperson claimed that they did respond to Ferguson and virtually meet with her in 2021 to discuss her concerns.
ITV said in a statement that it was "committed to having in place appropriate processes to protect the mental health and welfare of program participants.".
The broadcaster also stated that in its correspondence with Ferguson, it had emphasized that the welfare of contestants was of the "utmost priority," as evidenced by its Duty of Care Charter and "detailed guidance" — both of which were introduced in 2019 — and which were both part of the broadcaster's Duty of Care program.
According to the singer, she made the decision to bring up the subject now because "the public is waking up," if I'm being completely honest, to the claims of a toxic workplace culture at This Morning.
Ferguson claimed that despite this, she had resisted bringing up the subject because she was concerned about how it might affect her mental health.
I'm in a great place in my life, she declared. "I'm so happy, but I kept telling myself, 'Don't do it, Becky. ' .
"But I felt like there won't ever be an investigation if I don't say something now. ".
She claimed that she was forced to sign management and recording contracts, one of which was "the size of a bible," under duress because she was afraid that if she didn't, she would be removed from the X Factor.
In an effort to get her to sign, Ferguson claimed she was pushed into a bathroom and was denied access to legal counsel.
She said there was "no aftercare" and described the setting as one of "abuse and fear.".
"I recall that my house number and address appeared on the television by mistake. She claimed that after the show, she was unable to enter her home because there were people waiting outside. She also complained that despite being surrounded by fans and photographers, she had not been provided with security or assistance.
However, the show's producer, Fremantle Television, claimed that participants received aftercare support, a dedicated welfare officer, and a choice of independent legal advisors.
The contracts Ferguson mentions weren't made with X Factor specifically, but rather with outside businesses she collaborated with in the beginning of her career.
Ferguson emphasized that she is still "traumatized" by her time on X Factor, calling it "amounts to servitude.".
"A lot of people wonder, 'Oh why is she still talking about it?' but what they don't understand is the fallout.
"You just need our sincere apologies and acknowledgement that this is a real problem. I only ask that they acknowledge what occurred; I don't want money. ".
Produced by Syco, a production company owned by Simon Cowell, and Freemantle TV, X Factor aired on ITV.
