July 15th 2023.
Lucy Spraggan has revealed a truth she had kept hidden for almost a decade. Back in 2012, Lucy auditioned for the ninth season of The X Factor and made it to the boot camp and judge’s house stages. However, four weeks into the live shows, she decided to withdraw from the competition and cited illness as the reason.
But now, Lucy has opened up about the real reason she left The X Factor - she was sexually assaulted during a night out with the cast and crew. The night out was to celebrate fellow contestant Rylan Clark’s 25th birthday at the Mayfair nightclub Mahiki. Lucy has said that it was 'inappropriate for anybody - including contestants - to be drunk', particularly considering that free alcohol was involved.
The assault happened after a hotel porter escorted Lucy back to her hotel and flipped the security latch on her door to prevent it from locking. Later, Rylan came in to check on an unconscious Lucy and made sure her door was locked when he left. It was this that allowed the police to trace the porter.
The production team called the police and an arrest was made. Lucy was given financial and medical support in the immediate aftermath, but she has said she feels she wasn’t given enough support following the trial. She said no one ever contacted her to ask if she was OK or offered her ongoing mental health treatment.
In her new memoir, Lucy explains that the side effects of the morning-after pill she took caused her to be too unwell to continue in the competition. She wanted to reveal the truth about her exit from The X Factor, but decided not to due to fears it could affect her career.
In a statement to The Agency, ITV said they had ‘the deepest compassion for Lucy and everything she has endured as a result of this horrific ordeal’. They also said they had evolved and improved their oversight procedures since the events in question, and are committed to having in place suitable and robust oversight procedures to ensure that independent producers employ the correct processes to protect the mental health and welfare of participants.
Simon Cowell, the creator of the show, also told the publication that what happened to Lucy was ‘horrific and heart-breaking’. He said he had always supported her wish to ‘tell her story’ publicly.
Lucy has now written a memoir about her career and experience on the show, and earlier this year she shared that the process of writing it had been ‘horrendous’. But she labelled it ‘wonderful’ to self-examine and reflect on past experiences.
The defendant was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the assault, and although the immediate aftermath was difficult for Lucy, she is now bravely speaking out about her experience and inspiring others with her resilience and bravery.
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