Fleur East insists The X Factor should come with a warning in a bid to prepare its stars for fame

Fleur East has spoken out about The X Factor and her music career, saying the stars of the show should be prepared for the experience and life afterwards.

Singer Fleur, 33, auditioned for the 11th series of the ITV talent contest as a solo artist in 2014 and finished runner-up to Ben Haenow.

She now says Simon Cowell’s show should come with a warning about the pitfalls of fame.

Fleur told the Mirror: ‘I think it needs to come with a warning,’ and when asked if she was referring to the series or Simon, she replied: ‘Well, both.’

The musician said: ‘I think from the start you need to be told of the risks involved. A lot of young contestants don’t really know of the pitfalls and the hardship. When you get signed you think you’ve made it. They don’t realise that’s only the beginning.’

Despite not winning the show, Fleur released album Love, Sax and Flashbacks with record label Syco but feels she was not able to reach her full potential.

She claims there ‘wasn’t enough love and nurturing and I was put on a shelf – I knew I had a lot more in me’.

The news comes after a number of other stars of The X Factor have spoken out about the show.

Rebecca Ferguson, who competed on the show in 2010, has campaigned for better protection of the welfare of reality stars and artists in the music industry, following her experience on The X Factor.

Claiming she was frightened to take action, Rebecca said in a statement: ‘People have warned me for years about doing this or have encouraged me not to speak out, and unfortunately, I realise that my career may be once again affected by speaking out.

‘However, enough is enough and musicians/artists/creatives need change, a lot of my damage has been done but this is about protecting people in the future.

‘We need an immediate inquiry to take place to change the way people are allowed to operate in this industry!’

Rebecca also spoke out in support of fellow former contestant Katie Waissel, who appear on the show in 2010, after she alleged she was sexually assaulted by a member of The X Factor team.

Katie told The Sun: ‘I can still smell him. I was paralysed with shock. All I could think was, “How am I going to leave this room?”

‘I was a victim but I wouldn’t allow myself to recognise just how terrible it had been. I’ve never spoken before as I thought I’d be blacklisted and never work again.

‘I was vulnerable but times have changed and I now feel bold enough to speak out.’

After Katie gave her account, a spokesperson for Syco Entertainment told Metro.co.uk in a statement: ‘We were made aware via the media of Katie’s claims in Autumn 2017 and we immediately contacted her and began an investigation.

‘We were naturally shocked at the allegations and wanted to do anything we could to help – so we asked her to lodge a complaint with us and detail the allegations for that purpose. In the interim we suspended the accused.

‘Despite a number of requests to Katie asking her to detail the claims to us, she chose not to make a complaint over his behaviour. As a result, and without other evidence to the contrary, we were obliged to accept his denial of the claims.

‘We, of course, remain ready and keen to investigate her claims if she so chooses to detail them to us and even though the alleged perpetrator no longer works for either Syco or Sony Music.’

In addition, Chico Slimani, Lloyd Daniels, Rebecca Ferguson, Jedward, Jahmene Douglas and Cher Lloyd have all spoken out unfavourably about their personal experiences on the programme.

However, regular guest judge Sinitta recently insisted Simon was working on a new version of the series.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain earlier this month, she said: ‘He’s working on a revamped X Factor, I’m not sure if it’s gonna be this year or next year.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives for The X Factor and Syco for comment.

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