Reflecting on his time on Simon Cowell’s talent show, Mr Terry said while it changed his life and allowed him to pursue a career in music, there was a darker reality behind the scenes that many contestants are still grappling with.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do relate to it,\u201d he said, referencing growing criticism of the programme.<\/p>\n
![\"World's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/world-s-greatest-lover-london-cast.png\")
\u201cSo much good came from it\u2026 but I also have to recognise that my talent got me on the show, and my talent also won me the show.\u201d<\/p>\n
He went on to describe the long-term emotional toll of the experience.<\/p>\n
The Skittles singer revealed: \u201cI\u2019m two years deep in therapy to be able to understand myself and go about this world the best way that I can\u2026 to understand what I truly went through.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cThese people are making millions off your poor mental health that they have caused, which is not okay\u2026 It\u2019s an abuse of power in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/matt-terry.jpg\")
Matt Terry won the X Factor in 2016<\/p>\n
| <\/p>\n
GETTY<\/p>\n
Mr Terry suggested contestants are often placed in vulnerable positions, particularly those with little financial security.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had \u00a34 in my bank account when I entered the show\u2026 what else am I going to do? I\u2019m going to say yes to everything,” he said.<\/p>\n
The singer also warned not everyone has been able to recover from their experience as he has, saying: \u201cI consider myself\u2026 I\u2019ve got out\u2026 but there are still plenty of people\u2026 that still suffer today from that experience. And there needs to be some accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow winner Mr Harris echoed concerns about the pressures of the industry, describing the experience as \u201cnot an easy one” and revealing the emotional aftermath can take time to process.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a lot of therapy that gets you to a place that you can speak about this,\u201d he said, adding that contestants can feel like they become \u201can accessory that is used for your viewership\u2026 you are the business.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Mr Hensley stressed experiences vary widely between contestants.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a positive experience. That\u2019s my truth,\u201d he said, while acknowledging that others may have faced serious challenges and that \u201caccountability is key\u201d where things have gone wrong.<\/p>\n
The comments come amid renewed scrutiny of The X Factor, with former contestants increasingly speaking out about their treatment on the show and the lack of aftercare once filming ends.<\/p>\n
![\"Dalton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/dalton-harris.jpg\")
Dalton Harris said the X Factor experience is not an easy one<\/p>\n
| <\/p>\n
GETTY<\/p>\n
Since leaving the show, in 2010, Katie Waissel, who was 24 at the time of auditioning, has repeatedly claimed her experience \u201cruined her life\u201d and left her suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. <\/p>\n
The singer has alleged she never wanted to take part in The X Factor and felt compelled to do so after Mr Cowell’s company acquired the label she was previously signed to.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Steve Brookstein, the first winner of The X Factor, has spent years criticising the show, branding it \u201cone big theatre\u201d that is \u201ckilling music\u201d and likening it to \u201cWWE\u201d for turning artistry into spectacle. <\/p>\n
He has repeatedly claimed the programme is staged, with \u201cfixed\u201d results and \u201cwatertight contracts\u201d that silence contestants, and even backed a campaign to block the show\u2019s dominance of the Christmas No.1, accusing Simon Cowell of \u201cbuying the rights to Christmas\u201d.<\/p>\n
![\"Union](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/union-j.jpg\")
Jaymi Hensley rose to fame through The X Factor as part of 4-piece boy band Union J<\/p>\n
| <\/p>\n
GETTY<\/p>\n
However, Several former X Factor contestants have spoken positively about the show, crediting it as a life-changing platform that gave them opportunities they would not otherwise have had.<\/p>\n
Stars such as Olly Murs and Alexandra Burke have praised it for offering a chance to \u201cchange their lives forever\u201d, while Stacey Solomon and Sam Bailey have highlighted the stability and career success it brought. <\/p>\n
Others, including James Arthur, acknowledged the intense pressure but said they remain \u201cso grateful\u201d for the platform.<\/p>\n
Major acts like One Direction, Little Mix and Leona Lewis are often cited as proof of the show\u2019s ability to create global success stories.<\/p>\n
![\"Simon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/simon-cowell.jpg\")
The X Factor was created and led by Simon Cowell, who is the founder and owner of Syco Entertainment<\/p>\n
| ITV<\/p>\n
Mr Terry also appeared to criticise comments previously attributed to Simon Cowell, suggesting those who did not achieve major success were more likely to complain.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really insensitive,\u201d he said, calling instead for \u201csome accountability\u201d from the music mogul.<\/p>\n
Despite the controversy, all three performers emphasised they have moved forward in their careers and are now focused on their latest project, with World\u2019s Greatest Lover set to open in London\u2019s West End following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe.<\/p>\n
Mr Terry added that, ultimately, the show is only one chapter of their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe X Factor is something that we did, but it\u2019s not who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
GB News has contacted ITV for comment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Matt Terry has launched a scathing attack on The X Factor, accusing the hit ITV show of profiting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":552012,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[49,48,3332,75,2835,348],"class_list":["post-552011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-celebrity","tag-entertainment","tag-itv","tag-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/552011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=552011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/552011\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/552012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=552011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=552011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=552011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}