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Clinic chief attacks Britain's Got Talent over Susan Boyle’s care
By Amar Singh, Evening Standard Last updated at 09:20am on 02.06.09TV producers faced further criticism today over failing to provide Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle with the psychological care to cope with the pressures of sudden fame.
Unsupported: Susan Boyle after the final, in which she lost out to dance troupe Diversity
ITV's primetime show is facing a probe by TV watchdogs after being deluged with complaints over the treatment of the 48 year-old Scottish singer, who suffered an emotional breakdown after Saturday night's final.
Today, the chief medical officer at the Priory, the north London clinic where Boyle is being treated, criticised producers whom he said had a responsibility to take care of reality-show contestants.
Professor Chris Thompson said: “It seems to me a bit like walking out on to a branch and then sawing it off behind you. The fact that Susan Boyle appears to have broken down in some way so close to the end of the series suggests there is a link. I would want to know that people being exposed to such pressures are given proper care.”
It came as the show's producers announced a review of its policies in assessing contestants after admitting that Boyle, who has learning difficulties, was not psychologically tested.Professor Thompson continued: “People are shocked to the core by the level of public scrutiny of them. Most of us go through life with very little feedback. When you start reading things about yourself you can start to think: Is that who I really am?'” He said if an exhausted person continued without treatment they could develop anxiety or depression.
The production company behind the show, TalkbackThames, announced today it would be reviewing its policies on psychological testing following Boyle's collapse at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Westminster on Sunday.
It admitted that even though psychologists were available to assess contestants, Boyle had not been tested.
A spokeswoman said: “It is a talent show at the end of the day and people are auditioning on their talent merits. There is no formal psychological testing at the beginning of the show.
“Compared with something like Big Brother, where you are looking at people going into a house for three months, the people on Britain's Got Talent have three or four performances maximum and spend only seven to 10 days in a hotel for the semi-finals and final. Boyle collapsed at her hotel on Sunday. She is said to have become distressed, mumbled about missing her cat Pebbles and then fainted. There are now fears that she will miss the BGT tour, which begins on 12 June.
A source said: “Susan couldn't stop crying and couldn't calm down. She worked herself into such a frenzy that she fainted. We called down for a doctor and the production company called their GP, who arrived with a psychiatrist to assess Susan.”
Her brother Gerry Boyle, 55, said: “She started feeling extremely anxious on Sunday afternoon. Later that day she had what you and I would call a panic attack. She has been away from home all week and was very lonely and in all honesty very homesick. Susan panicked because the show had come to an end and she did not know what the future held for her.”
TV regulator Ofcom is expected to reveal shortly if it will be investigating the show.
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Reader views (8)
Forget the stupid TV shows - - which I never watch here in the US -- but I did hear Susan's "I'll Cry a River" on the computer when she became a "Hit" and the rendition was beautiful. She is a singer with a soul and lets hope that the clinic will be of help and not of harm ---but 21 days there is too long in my opinion. She needs to get back to her home & the familiar things that soothe. She has made it by herself to this age and most people doing so have their own "idiosyncratic coping methods" which others who have families can't see.
The TV show is at fault , but let us not confuse her further by a long hospital stay which may only reinforce her feelings of self doubt.
I would enjoy a CD with 'Ill Cry a River" and think getting to a good recording studio would be the best therapy! She loves to sing and it shines through. Pray she is back soon -- we appreciate her here in the States!
- Patillo, columbia, missouri, usa
You would think people would understand celebrity a bit better by now. If she is struggling to hack it she can always back out, trust me - in six months everyone will have completely forgotten about her and moved on to the next dolt.
It's really up to her to manipulate the position she is in while she can - nothing anyone else can do.
- James, London
All this hype is getting on my nerves and not helping Susan either. How long has BGT been running? Surely Susan knew what the consequences would be if she got through and I have seen no evidence of anyone making her 'go on with the show'. So she does need help, but it is entirely of her own making she was not forced to do anything she did not want to.
My thoughts are with her and I hope she recovers and is able to make a successfull career out of her wonderful voice.
- Anon, uk
She had her 10 minutes of fame ! The public voted in the end for the best popular act (in their opinion) . Lets move on . Leave Susan alone .
The more she is harrangued over her failure to be first in this "Dim" program , the worse she will feel .
Rest assured , she has her fame now , she has a singing voice , that would excel in Theatre , so opportunities are certainly there for here if she can handle it .If she wants this fame , Theatre , or whatever , she has to get tough ... There will always be many critics waiting to knock her . Good luck for the future Susan .
- Chris, Cologne , Germany
I believe that this year ITV and Talkback Thames have made a lot of money with BCT due Susan Boyle first performance. Now, I wonder how much money and time they are going to invest on her welfare. When Susan first went to the show she looked confident and very healthy, therefore she gave an excellent performance and won people's hearts. The ITV and Talkback Thames did not protect her from the Media and as a result of it, we could see that Susan was very tense and stressed in the semi final and worst on the final. I could not relax to listen to her on her last two performances because I could feel her tention. I feel very sorry indeed for Susan Boyle - ... like any other ordinary and genuine person going for her dream and falling in the hands of these big monsters and the English Media... These monsters are part of the great horror film I have ever seen. What a world we live!!!! God save this fragile soul!
- Rita, london
Oh dear Keith, what a stupid ignorant comment to make.. Let's hope mental illness doesn't affect you or your family
- Paul James, London, London
Keith, why don't you control yours, in other words hold it!
- Karenf, london
What a complete and utter fuss over someone who has no breath-control and will never release a decent song
- Keith Price, Luton, England
