Susan Boyle has been taken to a private clinic

BBC said she went voluntarily so I don't think she's been sectioned, just exhausted and drained. I felt quite sorry for her on Saturday night. I didn't particularly want her to win but I also think the way she was treated by the press was really poor.

I hope she gets a little bit of peace and quiet.

Poor lady such an extreme from her old life tis no wonder that she is mentally and physically exhausted

I hope she makes a speedy recovery and gets out of this what she wants and not what other people want

Damn sky. ?

I've felt sorry for her pretty much since here first performance went global. She led/leads a very simple life and was happy with that. She goes on a talent show and is soon known worldwide. She's not been able to go to church every day as usual because of the press camped outside her house.

The Wright Stuff were asking who was to blame about her fragile state on Friday; the show for allowing her on, the press, the public or her family. It's an interesting question.

I have a friend who went on Blind Date - as a picker, so she appeared on two consecutive weeks - and she said she was totally unprepared for the aftermath. I mean, she wasn't the least bit surprised when her arrival at the lecture on the Monday morning was greeted with cheers, wolf-whistles and applause (we'd all been tipped off in advance, so pretty much everyone in the room had watched it), but she spent several weeks after that putting up with complete strangers stopping her in the street and constantly overhearing other passers-by saying "wasn't that woman on Blind Date?" when they erroneously thought they were out of earshot.

And at least in that case no-one knew her full name or any other details of her private life (much of what she said in the programme was pre-scripted lies - I remember when she said something like "I love a man in uniform - in fact, I once dated a policeman for that very reason" and all her friends were going "What? When was this?"), so the attention she got was the most infinitesimal fraction of what happened to Susan Boyle - and even then she said she felt totally unnerved by it.

I don't think anyone could have imagined how global she would become and I really don't think she's been exploited at all. You go on a show like that and take what happens to you. I think she's rather eccentric but she doesn't come across as someone who has mental issues so I don't see how the show could be to blame. I really, really don't expect anyone could have seen it coming and it was soooo fast to go global! I didn't watch the show and woke up the next day and saw it on twitter on a post, posted by Ashton Kutcher, so they were all onto it before a lot of people in the UK.

In fact, I don't get this blame culture thing, why does there always have to be someone to blame? Surely this is just a unique occurrence, which has led to worldwide interest and nothing more? Let's face it, most of the interest has been because we didn't expect it from her. She's always said that she wanted to get out there and sing and she's had some truly amazing opportunities and will have more to come. Her life has changed and I actually think, aside from this blip, it's changed for the better. They do say, be careful what you wish for!

I read that she had had problems at birth and had been starved of O2, which had led her to have some mild brain damage and learning difficulties.

I feel really sorry for her. I think she just wanted to sing to a large audience and didn't realise the impact she would have, or where it would take her.

I wish her all the best.

Also it porbably didn't help her that some of the audience booed her during the final when Piers said he wanted her to win - apparently she went off the stage crying.

That was the story which read to the Matthew Wright discussion.

I guess blame is probably a harsh word, perhaps responsibility would be a better one?

You wouldn't be allowed on Big Brother with psychological problems or mild brain damage (despite all the 'interesting characters' over the years ?) and should other shows be any different? Instant fame can't easy on anyone, especially not someone like Susan Boyle. The difference to the other similar contestants is that they are usually awful, they are laughed at for a day and then go back to their lives with little disruption.

I suppose, on the flip side, why shouldn't she be allowed her chance to make a living from her singing, just because she has some learning difficulties.

I think perhaps, due to her condition, there should have been some more help and backup for her in place earlier, rather than at this late stage, so that she would have been able to understand and cope with the pressure more easily?

I don't think that's true at all, quite a few of the BB contestants seem to have psychological problems, look at Nikki Graheme/Graham (whatever spelling?) she was a real looper and admitted afterwards to having eating disorders, OCD etc. I don't watch BB much but when I have it seems like they choose people who are bordering on psychological problems to provide interesting TV. Also, with all the thousands and thousands of people who apply for BGT (and any other reality programme) they can't probe into the background of each and every one. BGT particularly as they couldn't really do it before the people have auditioned and got through and once they have got through I suppose whatever the programme makers do they will be condemned. If they had found out that SB had learning difficulties etc and kicked her out of the show, however nicely, there would be loads of protests about discrimination against those people with mental health issues and if they don't there are protests that she is being exploited, you can't win really.

She did after all say she wanted to be as famous as Elaine Paige! I do feel sorry for her in that she was obviously not prepared for how much of a global phenomenon she has become but then I don't think anyone, including the programme makers, could have predicted such a huge reaction to her.

On the flip side can you imagine the uproar if she'd been denied her chance due her learning difficulties? Holy cow, there would have been blood on the streets ?

Also, what are these difficulties she has or is it just a handy thing to dig up now she's gone for a quiet 10 minutes at the Priory?

I guess so.

Not being able to win is definitely true and I see your points about discrimination. It's like the children debates and should they be allowed or not? I'm glad I don't have to make the decisions. ?

I do wonder why people 'let' their friends and relatives with various problems go on these shows as they are almost always awful. It's horrible seeing people being laughed at. Susan Boyle became so poplular as everyone was expecting her to be awful too and knowing we had that opinion made us uncomfortable.

Not at all pooch, I was just talking about the tv discussion last week and quite a few of us expressed concern at her behaviour on the semi finals and finals, well before the priory. ?

I'm very much attacking the programme not you, don't worry I'm just having a bit of a rant ?

It just sort of annoys me that they scamper around finding information that suits a story they want to run. Let's face it, everyone has things in their past so it's very easy, if you dig far enough to find data to match your argument. There's wasn't a headline "All hail Susan Boyle, who's marvellous as she overcomes her disabilities to conquer BGT" , oh no, they just bring it up now to keep the stories flowing.

I"m waiting for the "Diversity in gun crime" headline next week ?

Oh good, I am a worry wart. ?

You're right. I think the disability stories did start a couple of weeks ago (to be fair) but there was nothing (or very little) along the lines of "well done her for overcoming so much" in the press.

What is driving me mad is the "Su-Bo" thing. ?

The fact that she has mild brain damage after being starved of oxygen at birth came out within days of the initial audition being shown, it's not new information that's been brought up fairly recently.

I just don't think she was properly equipped to deal with the level of attention she received, both because of her background (sheltered life in small town) and the learning difficulties that resulted from the above. You could say that the show should have done more to 'protect' her, but to be honest I think the exposure took everyone by surprise and they did the best they could. I do think that some elements of the press have been trying to put a negative spin on the whole story as the show went on (it doesn't surprise me that her supposed expletive-filled rant came after she'd allegedly been pressed by a couple of journalists) but that's par for the course. If her life experience to date had been different, she might have handled it better.

I agree with this. Hopefully what will happen now is she'll record an album in relatively low-stress conditions, sell lots of copies and then return to obscurity with her cat.

I don't know why people keep talking about Diversity and gun crime etc- aren't they all physics students and IT programmers?

Re Susan Boyle- I don't know the answer. I agree with Poochanna that there's a regrettable tendency to look for someone to blame and some sort of systemic failure when things go wrong, whereas actually things sometimes just go wrong. I don't think a woman with learning difficulties is likely to cope well with that amount of pressure and intrusion, but then I wouldn't say she shouldn't be allowed to compete either. I think part of the issue is how important shows like this have become- does anyone remember programmes like Opportunity Knocks etc? I'm sure contestants on that were discussed round the water cooler (well, tea urn ?) at work but they weren't front page news. I don't know what's happened to make it all such a big deal.

I really hate this. Its only because they are black.

TBH, You have to be a certain type of person to do this. I don't have learning difficulties, I wasn't starved of oxygen, but believe me, if I were her, I would have been in the priory months ago. There is no way I would have been able to handle the media.

I'm not sure what can be done- really, it should be for the person themselves to judge whether they can hack it, but then you are faced with the issue of those who can't make that decision, coupled with the fact no one could have seen the attention SB is getting coming.

I do see her as an Elaine Paige type character- amazing voice, but not in the public eye, not in the charts. Unfortunatly whether she'll get the opportunity now is anyones guess.

To be fair, Hyacinth, it's us on here assuming that the DM et al will be digging for stories about Diversity and gun crime/hordes of children they don't support/drugs/gangs etc, purely because they are black.

Her voice isn't that spectacular - and she only seems to know one song.

It's really tricky. I didn't watch much of BGT but even from the little I saw I thought it obvious that she has learning difficulties. So I think it's a fair assumption that she hadn't fully considered the consequences of appearing on the show and that she is perhaps less well-equipped than most to deal with them. But as others have said, she can't be prevented from entering.

I do feel very strongly that young children shouldn't be allowed to enter. I can't imagine how bewildering and overwhelming it all must be for an 8/10/12 year old who also will have little understanding of the consequences. Plus, if they are massively talented at 10 then presumably they will be at 16.

Am I allowed to rant about that brat child Hollie whatserface being a totally spoilt and throwing a hissy fit because she forgot the words. I hope she dissappears into obscurity and doesn't come back with an album. She wasn't even crying, it was all fake and she wasn't 'brave' at all.

I think the media exposure she experienced would've sent anyone over the edge, let alone a wee wifie fae west lothian, who maybe wasnt the most wordly wise.

I was watching GMTV this morning, and they did a live interview with Gordon Brown. They obv covered the expenses hullaballoo, euro elections etc, is he going to stand down. Cut to the news, and whats the first story.....SuBo being in a private clinic. What Gordon had to say was about 3rd or 4th item on the news. I just found it so ironic. Surely the PMs views on the state of the country should rank more newsworthy than a talent show runner up? But by making Susan Boyle headline news is only keeping the interest in her, that I think will have contributed to this breakdown. hope that makes sense!!

I thought I had seen stories about them being "saved from a life of crime" but as I can't find them at all, I think maybe I have picked that up from here...

The Hollie thing- I was really surprised that when she stopped singing, the backing vocals continued. She wasn't miming.. but she had a lot of help. The backing vocals were indistingushable from her voice.

This has been discussed at length. I find this level of vitriol against a 10yo girl really unpleasant, TBH. i also completely disagree with your reading of what happened.

maybe they should have a junior version, so at least they're competing against their peers

or would that be teeth achingly twee? ?

Sorry - not seen the link, but I am just saying what I saw, I didn't see tears, just stamping of feet, and whining when she was at first told she might not be able to sing again.

To me, she looked completely devastated and desperate- it was so uncomfortable to watch. I agree with Foo that children shouldn't be allowed to enter- how can you cope with all that pressure and expectation aged 10?

To me, she looked completely devastated and desperate- it was so uncomfortable to watch. I agree with Foo that children shouldn't be allowed to enter- how can you cope with all that pressure and expectation aged 10?

Not having seen it, i can't comment on whether hollie's tears were put on for the camera or not...

but i confess when i read in the paper that simon cowell had called her 'the bravest little girl in the world' (or whatever it was) i did have a 'oh get a grip' moment. ?

I was using that as an example of the media making things up and digging up information to suit a story they want to publish, hence the ? as these guys couldn't be further from that if they tried! Just like I don't think for one second Susan Boyle is being exploited as the media are trying to make out.

Surely it's no more 'pressure' than 10 yr olds experience already in school, exams, dancing competitions, sports days, football events, paegants etc etc?

While yes it's uncomfortable to watch, I think a 10 year old is perfectly capable of deciding if they want to do it or not.