Katie Waissel has claimed she was sexually assaulted by a member of The X Factor team.
The singer, 35, appeared on the show in 2010, making it to the semi-final of the competition before getting eliminated by public vote.
Katie claims the ordeal occurred several years after she appeared on the show, when she met with a member of The X factor team to discuss a potential recording contract.
In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, Katie said the ordeal took place when she met the employee in a hotel.
“I can still smell him. I was paralysed with shock. All I could think was, ‘How am I going to leave this room?’,” she told the publication.
(Image: ITV/Instagram)
“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.”
Syco Entertainment reportedly began an investigation into the alleged incident as soon as they became aware of it.
(Image: Getty Images)
Katie reportedly decided against making a formal complaint concerning the allegation.
A spokesperson for Syco Entertainment said: “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.
(Image: Getty Images)
“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.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
