For 14 years, The Jeremy Kyle Show was one of ITV's most popular programmes. It was broadcast during the daytime and regularly drew an audience of over one million people but in 2019, the tragic death of a show participant was the final straw for the controversial talk show and it was axed.
The death of Steve Dymond was by no means the first controversy in the show's history. Over the years a number of news stories had emerged from the studio set. In 2008 a 26-year-old man was jailed for grievous bodily harm against his girlfriend after the couple appeared on the show, while in 2007 a judge described the show as a form of 'human bear-baiting' after a defendant appeared in court for headbutting a love rival during a recording of the show.
As Kyle makes a controversial return to prime-time TV on Monday, October 10 with a show for TalkTV called Jeremy Kyle Live, we look at why the ITV show got asked and what Kyle has been up to.
Read more: Lorraine Kelly accused of body shaming Madonna as she says pop star looks like a 'boiled egg'
Why did the Jeremy Kyle Show get axed?
The Jeremy Kyle Show first aired in July 2005 as a replacement for Trisha Goddard's talk show, which moved to Channel 5. The premise of the show was that guests would attempt to resolve personal issues with their partners, family or friends. Confrontations were usually focused on family relationships, romantic relationships, sex, drugs and alcohol.
Kyle, 56, would act as a mediator between the parties, while psychotherapist Graham Stanier would advise and support the guests both during the show and afterwards. Some guests were required to do lie detector tests on the show, while others would be given DNA results during filming, in an attempt to resolve conflicts.
In May 2019, the show was immediately suspended after it emerged that Steve Dymond, who had filmed an episode at the Salford studios just a week prior, had been found dead. The programme ended for good following calls for it to be cancelled from MPs and members of the public.
ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall announced that the show had been officially cancelled “given the gravity" of the event. She said in a statement: “The Jeremy Kyle Show has had a loyal audience and has been made by a dedicated production team for 14 years, but now is the right time for the show to end. Everyone at ITV’s thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Steve Dymond.”
At the time, Mr Kyle said: “Myself and the production team I worked with for the last 14 years are all utterly devastated by the recent events. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Steve’s family at this incredibly sad time.”
Following the cancellation of the daytime show, MPs launched an inquiry into reality TV to consider production companies’ duty of care to participants taking part in reality shows. ITV had already faced scrutiny over its support for reality show talent following the deaths of former Love Island contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.
Who was Steve Dymond?
Steve Dymond, a 63-year-old construction worker, participated in an episode of the Jeremy Kyle Show in May 2019. Just a week after the episode featuring him was filmed, he took his own life. The show was suspended, before eventually being cancelled.
Mr Dymond’s episode never aired on ITV and every episode of the show was immediately pulled from ITV Hub and YouTube following the cancellation. A preliminary inquest hearing was told that Mr Dymond died of a morphine overdose and a heart problem at his home in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
He had “failed” a lie detector test for the programme to show whether he had cheated on his ex-fiancee Jane Callaghan. Mr Kyle made a number of remarks about Mr Dymond being a 'liar' during the show's recording.
Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg said: “I have had the opportunity to view The Jeremy Kyle Show episode featuring the deceased. In that footage, it is apparent that Jeremy Kyle was aware that the deceased had previously been unable to appear on The Jeremy Kyle Show having been diagnosed with depression, for which the deceased had been prescribed anti-depressant medication.
“After the lie detector results the deceased looked visibly upset. Jeremy Kyle adopted an approach where he called the deceased a ‘serial liar’; that he ‘would not trust him with a chocolate button’; and made a comment: ‘Has anyone got a shovel?'”
Mr Dymond’s son, Carl Woolley, said his father had been "humiliated" by the presenter and "made out to be the baddy". The coroner said that "acts or omissions of Jeremy Kyle may have caused or contributed to the death of Stephen Dymond", ruling that he was an interested person in the inquest, which is still ongoing.
Mr Dymond's final texts to his partner, which are shown in the new Channel 4 documentary, read: "I hope the Jeremy Kyle show is so happy now. They are responsible for what happens now. I hope this makes good ratings for them. I bet they keep this quiet. Never never never did I cheat on you. Never never. My final words."
Where is Jeremy Kyle now?
In September last year, Kyle announced he would be starting a regular radio show on talkRadio. In the first episode of his show, which aired weekdays between 4pm and 7pm, he recalled promising his late father that he would one day return to work in broadcasting after his show was axed. The show host had previously spoken about being unable to leave the house after following ITV's decision to cancel the Jeremy Kyle Show.
He said he went to see a doctor who diagnosed him with an anxiety disorder. He told The Sun newspaper: “I used to think ‘get a grip’ when some celebrities talked about those sort of problems.
“But suddenly I realised first-hand you can’t always do that. I never thought they would affect me like they did. That was a shock — but I’ve always said, ‘If you have a problem, admit it, and then seek the proper help’. So that’s what I did.” He added: “Critics will say I got a taste of my own medicine but I’d been through a fair amount up until that point — and I guess it all caught up with me at once.”
In October 2021, he married his fiancee Vicky Burton after having to reschedule their wedding six times. He fell for the 38-year-old - who was his children's former nanny - after the breakdown of his second marriage in 2015.
On October 10, 2022, the first of his shows for TalkTV, Jeremy Kyle Live, was due to air.
Read next:
- Carol Vorderman 'lives life without apology' as she opens up about 'special friends' lifestyle
- Cheryl's ex Liam Payne makes surprise appearance to support her at Sarah Harding tribute
- Love Island's Adam Collard shares cryptic post following Paige Thorne split fears
- Stacey Solomon addresses fans' question about secret family holiday
- Ioan Gruffudd's new girlfriend posts gushing tribute as he celebrates his birthday
