Extra support granted to ease impact of instant fame and 24/7 exposure after Susan Boyle collapseFew reality TV contestants can be unaware of the pressures of celebrity after witnessing the overnight fame of Susan Boyle, the singer who became a global star when she won over an initially hostile audience on Britain's Got Talent.
An overhaul of the treatment of those taking part in this year's series of The X Factor, prompted in part by Boyle's collapse and admission to a private clinic, will see contestants in the later stages undergoing thorough psychological appraisals to judge their fitness to compete.
Production company TalkbackThames, which makes both ITV reality series, has introduced new guidelines for The X Factor, the new series of which begins on Saturday, in an attempt to give contestants extra support.
These will include psychologists being on set throughout the show's run – previously they were only on call – and special care being given to one contestant who has Asperger's syndrome. For the first time, full psychological appraisals will be undertaken on the final 24 contestants.
Guardian
