Big Brother and The X Factor are "sick" claim contestants

Posted by heatworld on Tuesday 09 Jun 2009

Filed under: Ben Mills, Big Brother, Niki Evans, Simon Cowell, Steve Brookstein, The X Factor

Another series of Big Brother has just kicked off and The X Factor auditions are well underway, but according to these disgruntled folk, taking part in either could be the worst decision you ever make. Shahbaz Chauhdry, who entered the BB house with Pete, Nikki, Grace and co three years ago but left early in the process, says he is still suffering the after-effects of BB. "Just a couple of days ago I woke up in cold sweats. I have nightmares about being trapped in the Big Brother house, where I have no control," he told The Times. Similarly, Niki Evans has had a pop at The X Factor, saying, "They [the producers] spent three hours literally shouting at me to sing Dance With My Father Again live on the show, with the instruction to cry in the middle of it." Niki was a finalist on the show two years ago, but now calls her experience "sick". Niki says she was bullied into crying for the cameras, but says she's not sure if Simon Cowell is aware of what's happening behind the scenes. Steve Brookstein said it took him "five years" to get back on his feet after The X Factor, while another former finalist Ben Mills said his music never took off because he was "past his sell-by date" by the time his debut album came out. Are you shocked by some of the claims being made here, or do you think wannabe stars should know what they're getting into when they enter these shows?