Dermot O’Leary has spoken out in support of the X Factor claiming that if the show was on now it would ‘be made differently’ following the tragic death of Liam Payne

Dermot O’Leary speaks out in support of X Factor after Liam Payne’s death

Following the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne last year, the X Factor was slammed by a host of former contestants stating that show bosses failed to take care of their mental health. Those who publicly spoke out against the welfare facet of the show, included Katie Waissel and Rebecca Ferguson, who were close friends of the singer.

But now, in a recent interview, Dermot O’Leary, 51, who hosted the show between 2007 and 2018 with a two year break, has finally addressed the negative comments made about the show.

He insisted that the alleged negative experiences of a few of the contestants came after filming of the ITV show ended. Speaking to The Times, the presenter said: “If the show was made now, it’d be made differently. The culture is different, but it was pretty much always celebratory. Look, not everyone on the show is going to knock it out of the park. Not everyone is going to have the best experience.”

He added: “But most of the people we had on were treated really well, and a lot of people who have talked negatively about their experiences are talking about what happened after they left.”

He continued: “I think 99 out of 100 actually missed the show — they missed the bubble. So if there is a duty of care to be looked at, it’s what happens afterwards.”

Dermot O’Leary speaks out in support of X Factor after Liam Payne’s death(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Liam fell to his death last October from the third floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the time, it was reported that he suffered with his mental health which led to substance abuse.

And it was also reported that he had been under the influence when he tragically passed away, leaving behind his beloved son Bear, who he shares with Cheryl Tweedy.

Liam found fame on the X Factor alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayne Malik. At the time in 2010, they individually auditioned as solo artists, but then it was decided to turn them into a boyband. And that was when One Direction was born.

Speaking of Liam, Dermot told the publication: “He was both wise and sort of a young soul at the same time. And that’s an industry-wide conversation that should be had.”

He continued: “Duty of care is the most important thing when doing shows like this and I wouldn’t dare to presume to speak for everyone. But in my experience, it was always taken seriously on the show — and would be even more thorough now.”

The world was left devastated and fans flocked to social media to express their pain. The following day after Liam’s death was confirmed, his family shared a heartbreaking statement.

It read: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. “

It added: “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”