Lucy Spraggan reveals she was raped during time on X Factor
Note: This article contains discussion of topics including rape, sexual assault, PTSD, attempted suicide and alcohol abuse.
Lucy Spraggan has revealed that she was raped during her time on The X Factor.
The singer-songwriter took part in the 2012 series, making it through the auditions with the show's first original song. She dropped out of the live shows a few weeks in, citing illness at the time.
Now Spraggan has explained in her upcoming memoir Process: Finding My Way Through that she was sexually attacked by a hotel porter after attending Rylan Clark's 25th birthday party, which was attended by contestants and crew from The X Factor.
In an interview published by The Guardian, Spraggan stated a production crew member took her back to her hotel, where the porter then took her to her room. As the porter left the room, they flipped the latch so the door was unlocked.
Spraggan added that Clark came to check on her later on, and made sure to lock the door. When the porter returned again to commit the attack, they had to use a traceable key card – evidence that led to the offender's arrest and subsequent sentencing to 10 years in prison for rape.
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Spraggan said the production company called the police, took her to a specialist unit and provided medical and financial support, but only until the trial was over. She added that she had wanted to make her reasons for leaving the show public, but had been told by "various people" that if she had been open about the attack at the time, as she had wanted to do, it would have affected her career.
An excerpt from her book reads: "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 explained that, without any professional help, she turned to alcohol in order to deal with the PTSD from the event and at the thought of having to stay in unknown hotel rooms while on tour. In 2014, at her lowest point, she attempted suicide. It took her many years to become sober, while the death of Caroline Flack in 2020 made her want to tell the truth about her attack.
Simon Cowell, who was not a judge on the 2012 series, got in touch a few years ago (Spraggan notes that Tulisa Contostavlos did go to visit her at the time, for which she was grateful), and made what Spraggan considers an authentic apology.
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"The 'sorry' that Simon chose to give me closed one of the most uncomfortable chapters of my life," she writes in the book.
Cowell described what happened to Spraggan as "horrific and heartbreaking", telling The Guardian in a statement: "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. I have always supported her wish to tell her story as well as her efforts to bring about positive change."
A spokesperson for production company Fremantle said in a statement: "The serious sexual assault suffered by Lucy Spraggan in October 2012 was a truly horrific criminal act for which the perpetrator, who was not connected with the programme, was rightfully prosecuted and imprisoned. Anyone should feel safe when they are sleeping in a hotel room – and it is abhorrent to think that a hotel porter abused that trust in such a vile way.
"To our knowledge, the assault was an event without precedent in the UK television industry. While we believed throughout that we were doing our best to support Lucy in the aftermath of the ordeal, as Lucy thinks we could have done more, we must therefore recognise this. For everything Lucy has suffered, we are extremely sorry.
"Since then, we have done our very best to learn lessons from these events and improve our aftercare processes. While we have worked hard to try and protect Lucy's lifetime right to anonymity, we applaud her strength and bravery now that she has chosen to waive that right."
An ITV statement further reads: "The X Factor was produced by Thames [part of Fremantle] and Syco, who were responsible for duty of care towards all of its programme contributors. ITV is committed to having in place suitable and robust processes to protect the mental health and welfare of programme participants, and we have continued to evolve and strengthen our approach.
"We expect the producers of commissioned programmes to have in place appropriate procedures to look after the mental health of participants as well as their physical safety. In an event of such a distressing nature, welfare and support towards the victim would always be of the utmost priority.
"We have the deepest compassion for Lucy and everything she has endured as a result of this horrific ordeal. We commend her resilience and bravery."
If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information from Rape Crisis England and Wales, who work towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct, on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
Further organisations who can offer support include the NHS, Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393. Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov.
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