Louis Tomlinson brands X Factor ‘unethical at times’ and says talent shows ‘could do better’ by contestants

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Louis Tomlinson has spoken out about The X Factor, saying the show didn’t do enough to support its contestants and was sometimes ‘unethical’.

The 34-year-old singer first became known on the ITV show in 2010. He was placed in the boyband One Direction, which quickly achieved worldwide fame and success.

Although he appreciates the show that launched his career, he now feels it didn’t do enough to support the well-being of its participants.

Louis told The Sun that shows like The X Factor sometimes crossed ethical lines. He believes looking back, they could have treated the contestants better.

However, it also created a lot of possibilities for me. I wouldn’t have become a singer without that show – it’s really that straightforward.

He’s not the only famous contestant to speak out against the show that made them well-known. Many former participants have criticized the series created by Simon Cowell, which ran for 15 seasons between 2004 and 2018.

Christopher Maloney, a finalist from the 2012 season, has criticized the show for not providing enough support to contestants after the competition ended.

Oh my god, you will NOT believe what I just read! My idol, the singer I’ve followed forever, just opened up in an interview with the Daily Mail. He talked about everything – a really tough struggle with self-harm that’s been going on for decades, and how he’s always battled with seeing himself differently than how he actually looks – body dysmorphia, it’s called. And lately? It’s gotten even harder, he’s been getting plastic surgery… like, he admitted he’s become addicted to it. It’s heartbreaking, honestly, but I admire him so much for being so open about it all.

Despite enjoying his time on the show and claiming he doesn’t regret being a part of it, he expressed frustration with the lack of support he received immediately afterward, feeling like he was left to figure things out on his own.

He admitted to having a breakdown, which he believes was caused by the sudden change from a normal job to being in the public eye on a show with 15 million viewers. He explained that the experience was overwhelming and he felt unprepared for such a dramatic shift.

Christopher mentioned he would have appreciated more support after leaving the show. He explained that once filming wrapped, people were essentially on their own, despite the management company still being involved.

‘There’s no support and that’s the probably the reason why I had the breakdown at the end.’

Fleur East has spoken about feeling a lack of support after appearing on the show, and believes contestants, especially younger ones, should be warned about the difficulties of becoming famous.

The singer was the second-place finalist on the show’s eleventh season in 2014. She later said that Simon Cowell’s company, Syco, seemed to sideline her after she released only one album.

Chico Slimane, a contestant on the 2005 series of the ITV singing show, has said the show exploits its participants and is primarily focused on profit.

He believes the people running the show don’t value their audience and see artists as simply products to be used for profit.

Jedward publicly criticized Simon Cowell, accusing him of acting like a controlling figure in the music industry and expressing regret that they didn’t confront the judges more forcefully during their time on the ITV show.

Cher Lloyd has said that show executives took advantage of her inexperience when she was a contestant on the 2010 series at age 17. She feels she was initially promised a wonderful experience, but was then exploited.

Lloyd Daniels has said he felt he had to keep his same-sex relationship a secret while he was a contestant on the show in 2009.

The passing of Louis’ bandmate, Liam Payne, in October 2024 led to further criticism of the show and increased calls for reforms within the music industry to better support artists’ well-being.

As a longtime supporter of both Katie and Liam, I was really saddened to see Katie speak out about her experiences on the 2010 X Factor. She essentially called out some music industry executives, including Simon Cowell, in a couple of statements, saying they seemed more interested in making money than looking after the well-being of the people involved. It’s heartbreaking to hear, honestly.

She honored the late actor with a heartfelt message, saying his death is a devastating loss for everyone who knew him. She also pointed out that it sadly highlights how often the industry fails to support its people.

Some people were supposed to look after and support young artists, but unfortunately, they often prioritized making money over the artists’ needs.

This industry often views people as disposable resources, and a failure to protect their well-being has sadly resulted in another tragic loss.

Rebecca Ferguson, a former X Factor contestant in 2010 with Liam and Katie, spoke out against the way young performers are exploited for profit. She explained that many, including herself, still struggle with the long-term emotional and psychological effects of their experiences.

Daily Mail has contacted a representative for ITV and Syco for comment.

Over the years, Kate Thornton, Dermot O’Leary, Caroline Flack, and Olly Murs all hosted the show.

Simon was joined on the judging panel by several well-known personalities, including Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue, Cheryl, Gary Barlow, and Tulisa.

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside some incredible talents on the show! That includes Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger, Mel B, Rita Ora, Ayda Field, Robbie Williams, and Louis Tomlinson – each of them brought something special to the panel.

The show quickly became very popular, and many contestants have gone on to achieve great success. Each season featured hopeful singers auditioning for a chance to perform in the live shows, which were broadcast on Saturday nights.

They include Olly Murs, Little Mix, One Direction, JLS, Leona Lewis and James Arthur.

Simon was only recently on our screens as he starred in his docuseries Simon Cowell: The Next Act.

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2026-01-29 10:21