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Posted by: Common Sense May 13 2019, 09:28 AM

No more Jeremy Kyle shows will be broadcast or filmed, including ITV2 repeats, until further notice, after a person died recently a week after being filmed for the show.

ITV is investigating whether the death had anything to do with appearing on the show and that episode will never be broadcast.

Today's show was pulled from the schedule by the ITV Network at the last minute.

Posted by: Mack. May 13 2019, 03:15 PM

It means a celebrity special starring former EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook and X Factor singer Christopher Maloney, which was due to air tomorrow, has been put on hold.


What on earth went wrong there for this to happen? Speculation about what happened. I often wonder about the aftercare on that show. I know they got into trouble from Ofcom for featuring a distressed 17 year old girl a few years ago.

Posted by: Common Sense May 13 2019, 03:55 PM

Rumours are that a woman committed suicide a few days after being upset about the results of a lie-detector test. All episodes have even been removed from the ITV Hub. Westbrook has Tweeted that she's been told by ITV that her episode will be shown at a later date.

Posted by: Chez Wombat May 13 2019, 04:23 PM

This show is truly disgusting, an entertainment presenter and a live studio audience making villains and jeering at vulnerable people that need proper mental and clinical help, it doesn't surprise me at all that most people leave there worse off than before. It's horrible that something like this to happen for it to finally be investigated, but here's hoping this can finally be the end of this horror show.

Posted by: Common Sense May 13 2019, 09:54 PM

From Mail Online.

A 62-year-old grandfather was found dead within days of being ‘humiliated and traumatised’ on The Jeremy Kyle Show when he failed a lie detector test on the programme, his landlady said last night.

Steven Dymond was said to have been left in tears and feeling suicidal after filming for the show with his on-and-off girlfriend.

The programme, which was due to air this week, was pulled from the TV schedules after the digger driver was found dead in his bedroom on Thursday last week following a suspected suicide.

In the days before his death Mr Dymond had reconnected with his estranged son, who told him he had become a grandfather, although he never got to see his son again or meet his grandchild.

Posted by: lewistgreen May 14 2019, 01:18 PM

MPs are now currently calling for the show to be cancelled completely

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner May 14 2019, 01:47 PM

Honestly surprised it’s taken this long. It’s a toxic vile hellmouth of a show and we as a country would be better without it.

Posted by: Mack. May 14 2019, 04:09 PM

Its not just the Jeremy Kyle show as well. There seems to be a problem on ITV with:

Loose Women over the Colleen Nolan/ Kim Woodburn row
Love Island -2 deaths of ex contestants

All this in the space of less than 12 months. Something needs to be done by ITV.

But someone taking their life, surely there is no way back for this show. Hasn't there been a case like this on The Jerry Springer Show as well?

Posted by: Common Sense May 14 2019, 04:24 PM

I don't see why it should be. As many are saying on Twitter no-one's forced to go on and they must all know what it's about after 14 years! Who can say whether appearing on the show caused him to commit suicide. I'm a firm believer in the accuracy of the lie detector so reckon he had cheated. He may have committed suicide because he'd been found out. He was adamant that he hadn't cheated and went on to prove it but unfortunately that backfired. Who knows though? Only him and he's dead now. Yes it's sad and I'd rest the show now until September than start showing it again when this has died down.

Posted by: Golden Maknae May 14 2019, 04:27 PM

i ain't british but i have a feeling these are the signs of a dying channel

then again in the us one primetime channel's CEO was convicted of sexual assault and that channel is somehow still alive so

Posted by: WhoOdyssey May 14 2019, 04:28 PM

It should be, but ITV will definitely be reluctant to cancel it. It's their most rated show in daytime. Dickinson's Real Deal got less than half today of what Kyle would get.

If it does come back - it would probably be in a completely revised form, to the point where it wouldn't be worth doing it. They'll probably just replace it with Judge Rinder or make a new gameshow.

Posted by: Common Sense May 14 2019, 04:30 PM

Statement just now from ITV.

The statement reads: ‘ITV has many years experience of broadcasting and creating programmes featuring members of the public and each of our productions has duty of care measures in place for contributors. These will be dependent on the type of show and will be proportionate for the level of activity of each contributor and upon the individual. All of our processes are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose in an ever changing landscape. ‘In the case of The Jeremy Kyle Show, the programme has significant and detailed duty of care processes in place for contributors pre, during and post show which have been built up over 14 years, and there have been numerous positive outcomes from this, including people who have resolved complex and long-standing personal problems. ‘Prior to the show a comprehensive assessment is carried out by the guest welfare team on all potential contributors.

The guest welfare team consists of four members of staff, one consultant psychotherapist and three mental health nurses. ‘The guests are interviewed by guest welfare face to face at studios and prior to filming. Throughout filming the participants are supported by the guest welfare team in the studios during the recording phase of their show. After filming has ended all guests are seen by a member of the guest welfare team to ensure they are feeling calm and emotionally settled before any participant leaves to travel home. ‘An evaluation of their needs is also carried out at this time and should they require any ongoing service regarding the problem they discussed on the show then appropriate solutions are found for them. This could include residential rehabilitation, counselling, anger management, family mediation, child access mediation or couple counselling for example.

‘The day after recording of the show the participant will be contacted by production to carry out a welfare check and provide details of the services that have been sourced for them. The production team keep in touch with the participants in the days between recording and transmission and participants are given a production mobile contact number should they need to contact the show at any point following transmission. ‘To continue best practice, we regularly review our processes. ‘As we have said, everyone at ITV and The Jeremy Kyle Show is shocked and saddened at the news of the death of a participant in the show a week after the recording of the episode they featured in and our thoughts are with their family and friends. We will not screen the episode in which they featured.

‘Given the seriousness of this event, ITV has also decided to suspend both filming and broadcasting of The Jeremy Kyle Show with immediate effect in order to give it time to conduct a review of this episode of the show, and we cannot comment further until this review is completed. No decision as to the long-term future of the show has been made and cannot be made until investigations are completed which may take some time.

Posted by: Calum May 14 2019, 04:46 PM

Why am I not surprised the idea of exterminating this show is so life-shattering to you?

Nobody's denying that people don't know what they're signing up for when they go on the show (you know that if you're being accused of something you'll face a lie detector test, etc), but that's completely missing the point. What's being brought into question is the aftercare people receive and the manner in which they go about things.

If ITV really don't know by now that they need to improve the care they provide both during and after shows like this (see Love Island too), they need to stop. Continually milking something for all it's worth while at the same time people are committing suicide as a result of life after these shows and poor aftercare is just vile.

Katie Hopkins' tweet from earlier today was so on point it hurt:

Posted by: Common Sense May 14 2019, 05:09 PM

It's not life-shattering at all as I haven't watched a single episode for about 4 years as am out with the dog at that time.

Posted by: Common Sense May 14 2019, 05:12 PM

No matter how good the after-care is and ITV said today in it's statement above that it's very good, before and after the recording and broadcast, no-one can stop someone committing suicide if they really want to.

The guy's girlfriend Jane Callaghan has today said she believes the test was correct.

“He was quietly struggling, and we didn’t know at the time.

“He cheated on me, I know he did.

“I can’t forgive but I just want him to be alive.”

Posted by: Calum May 14 2019, 05:40 PM

Obviously ITV are going to claim their aftercare is satisfactory and all things wonderful, but given how many people have spoken out about it there's clearly an issue they're failing to acknowledge. Two people have taken their own lives after appearing in Love Island. Another contestant has spoken out about how terrible it was. I'm sure there are many others that will feel the same.

People commit suicide, yes, but there needs to be some form of accountability in terms of what may (or may not have) led to such a tragedy happening.

Posted by: T Boy May 14 2019, 05:49 PM

It’s always been an awful show exploiting troubled people. I remember the week i stared my first teaching placement, the parents of a girl at the school were on this show. She was extremely embarrassed.

Posted by: Liаm May 14 2019, 07:08 PM

It's always been a bit of a media circus and never felt quite right, it's a surprise it took this long for something like this to happen but of course still awful

It's one thing saying they know what they're getting into, yes they do, but this show grabs up those who are already socially and economically disadvantaged and won't necessarily have the support in place, or be able to access it. If the channel is delving into people's lives and problems for entertainment for views and money, they have a duty of care, whether that's for Love Island or for this, and clearly they aren't doing enough.

Posted by: Jack May 14 2019, 07:49 PM

They need to get rid of other similar shows - 'Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away' is another one, preying on vulnerable issues with debt problems. That one is potentially worse as they rock up at your house unannounced with a full camera crew on what has the potential to be one of the worst days of your life. I've seen someone on there not affording to pay back a funeral company for her Mother - she was obviously very mentally ill and grief stricken, it's disgusting really.

Posted by: WhoOdyssey May 14 2019, 07:54 PM

Can't Pay, We'll Take It Away has definitely ended - they haven't made new episodes for a few years now.

I think Channel 5 are trying to phase out their benefits documentaries and what's seen as 'trashy' TV. The controller was glad to get Big Brother off the channel.

Posted by: Mack. May 14 2019, 10:24 PM

Get rid of all 'poverty porn' programmes. e.g. Benefits Britain.

Posted by: Common Sense May 15 2019, 09:15 AM

Jeremy Kyle show has been axed permanently. I think it's sad news and a total over-reaction. Ch.5 should pick it up now.

Posted by: danG May 15 2019, 09:20 AM

Good. But they should also axe Love Island but that’s probably not happening..

Posted by: Calum May 15 2019, 09:22 AM

Hardly a total over-reaction. It should have happened a long time ago, and the same has to be said for any other television show that triggers or could be the cause of mental health issues.

It’s just a real shame ITV have been so quick to act with this, yet have defended themselves to the hill and seem to do nothing about the likes of Love Island, etc. They’ve also just confirmed that they won’t be airing an on-air tribute to Mike following his death, despite having done so for Sophie when she died.

Posted by: gavindeejay May 15 2019, 09:26 AM

Agree with this. There’s been four suicides in the past year relating to Love Island. I can’t see how itv can get away with cancelling JK and keeping LI. Money shouldn’t come into it. The advertisers will still advertise regardless of LI being aired all be it at a cheaper rate but if it saves lives then as a broadcaster they should swallow it up! They should use the spots to put programmes on about mental health!

Posted by: Doctor Blind May 15 2019, 09:28 AM

These type of shows that exploit vulnerable people suffering from mental health problems stem from an era of maybe 10-15 years ago (possibly longer) and certainly originated in America with shows like Jerry Springer. Jon Ronson on C4 News last night summed it up well when he said 'We're all afraid that we have damage. We want to see people who are more damaged than we are to make us feel better about ourselves.'

Its cancellation is long overdue IMO.

Posted by: Mack. May 15 2019, 09:31 AM

Good, there's no way it could have carried on.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn May 15 2019, 09:32 AM

Oh, quelle surprise!

This is the most fantastic news. I hope people yell at him in the street to "get a job".

Posted by: Common Sense May 15 2019, 09:36 AM

The guy who died had been depressed for a few months. He should never have gone on it in the first place but did he tell them he was depressed?

Posted by: Common Sense May 15 2019, 09:37 AM

He's worth millions so isn't in a hurry to get one. ITV hasn't said they're getting rid of him so he may do other stuff.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn May 15 2019, 09:38 AM

Let's hope not. Loathsome creature that man is.

Posted by: Common Sense May 15 2019, 09:54 AM

Some memorable moments were when the guy threw the lie detector result paper at him and it hit him in the face. The one called "who did a poo in my fridge?" The couple who'd split and were fighting over who got the dog!

My cousin David would be upset. He absolutely loved the show and even took early retirement so he could watch it every day. Sadly died of cancer 4 years ago.

Posted by: Klaus May 15 2019, 11:47 AM

He probably wasn’t given the opportunity to do so, hence one of the issues that has been raised regarding this. Former people who worked on the show and people who appeared/asked to appear have stated the checks re people’s mental health are atrocious and they have suggested they actually actively try and get those with mental health issues on the show.

Posted by: Iz~ May 15 2019, 12:24 PM

Good riddance, it represented the worst of negative, life-destroying, exploitative TV and I’m just very sorry it took a death to end it. Hopefully programming like this will never return.

Posted by: Mack. May 15 2019, 01:23 PM

Had to explain for about 20 minutes to this person why exactly it to be axed. An actual post on social media. I saw.

Posted by: Mack. May 15 2019, 01:50 PM

This is has to be a watershed for reality TV. Something surely has to be done, first the JK show. I think there has to be an overhaul in people who participate in reality TV shows. E.g. Roxanne Pallett should have never been accepted to go on Celebrity Big Brother given what had happened with Ryan Thomas, vulnerable people going on Big Brother and other reality shows.

Posted by: Andrew. May 15 2019, 04:53 PM

About time. It's such a shame someone had to lose their life for this to happen

I think it's inappropriate to use this as a stick to beat Love Island with, given while it seems certain this was due to the appearance on JK, there's no actual evidence those two tragedies were because of Love Island, and in both cases it happened almost two years after they were on the show.

Posted by: Brett-Butler May 15 2019, 05:15 PM

Jeremy Kyle was a guilty pleasure of mine when I was at uni, although I can agree that it was probably the right decision to remove it from the schedule in the aftermath of what happened.

I have seen some counter-arguments in favour of keeping it on air, such as it being one of the few mainstream shows on TV that allows the kind of people who are guests on it (ie the real working classes) to participate. Then again, their participation is for the purpose of being mocked at to partake in what was accurately described as "human bear baiting". I doubt the sort of people who take part in Jeremy Kyle will be turning up as regulars in other shows on TV in the future.

Dead Ringers parodied the show brilliantly, even more than 10 years ago they could see what he was up to -

Posted by: Calum May 15 2019, 05:53 PM

How is it inappropriate though? The same can be said for the Jeremy Kyle guest since his partner seems to be telling tabloids there may not be a direct link between the show and his suicide.

I really don't understand why it matters that Sophie and Mike died two years after they were on Love Island either - because more time passed since the show their issues, pain or suffering is supposedly any less valid because it wasn't a week after? Multiple contestants from the show have spoken out about the level of care being terrible both during and after the show. It just sadly hasn't attracted as much attention as it should because for the most part other contestants are busy trying to fulfil their newfound 'influencer' roles or living their fantasy lives with the partners they found. To me it seems that some people are just trying to invalidate the possibility that ITV's level of care and support has let a small few down majorly because they can't bare the thought of losing a show they love so much.

Posted by: T Boy May 15 2019, 05:55 PM

I think criticism for reality tv is going to rapidly appear from this point on. This show shouldn’t have lasted this long so it’s no surprise to see it go. Believe it or not some would watch these exploited poor souls and actually think their lives/issues were something to aim for. Having your personal life dissected like that in public isn’t good for anyone’s mental health.

And I do believe Love Island should be looked at. I know it’s popular on her and yes, I’ve never really watched it, but form what I have seen it looks like it can have a poor affect on mental health also as it seems to be all about superficiality and I don’t think people should have their relationships thrust up on screen before they’ve even begun.

Posted by: Andrew. May 15 2019, 05:59 PM

I'm not denying there needs to be better aftercare for Love Island, and don't put words in my mouth but I just think the two situations aren't really comparable. Jeremy Kyle is exploitative by it's very nature while love island is MEANT to be a fun reality show although I know it's definitely not like that for some contestants and there needs to be better aftercare. And we have no idea if those tragic deaths were linked to Love Island or not- the fact it was two years later does matter because it's less clear if it was due to the show or not.

I agree that reality shows have exploited vunerable people for a long time and if one good thing can come out of this it's that people will be more aware of this.

Posted by: Medellíam May 15 2019, 06:12 PM

The aftercare definitely needs to be addressed for Love Island and indeed any other reality show, but the show itself is meant to be positive and fun and the contestants are clearly happy to be there. You can't say the same for The Jeremy Kyle Show, which feeds off people's misfortunes and encourages the audience to laugh at people's appearances and circumstances. It's such a toxic concept of a show and it's a shock it's taken so long for it to be removed. A huge shame someone had to lose their life for it to happen.

I'm not a fan of Love Island and I think there's a lot of problems that come from it, but I don't think the show is designed to make people feel bad about themselves. I think the way contestants' mental health has been affected is from the wider issue of receiving instant fame and adoration for 5 minutes and then having to fight to keep that level up. It's a buzz for them and, with all highs, there's a comedown. I think that's more the issue rather than specifically the show, which is why the aftercare is so essential.

Posted by: dobbo May 15 2019, 06:26 PM

Meh, it had it's gold moments & was decent background telly but not gonna be sad to see it go. Certainly times need to move with society so I think this is the correct decision all things considered. Hopefully that Love Island garbage follows suit...

Posted by: Houdini May 15 2019, 06:35 PM

This.

I'm not looking forward to hearing the blow by blow events of Love Island every day at work or on TV/Radio despite not watching even 1 second of the programme myself.

Posted by: Rooney May 15 2019, 06:52 PM

As I've spoken in the Love Island thread, people just need to calm down. Quelle surprise the people calling for Love Island to go are people who either don't watch or dislike the show. I completely agree the aftercare needs to be much better for contestants and there should be better screening. You cannot directly link a death 2 years after it happened directly to a TV programme. Where does it stop? Should Love Island be paying for all contestants to go through counselling for someone's lifetime?

A contestant commited suicide during the filming of Britain's Got Talent this year, I don't see calls for that to go. Honestly it's just ridiculous.

What I can agree with (and this is the case for all reality shows) there does need to be better support either adapting back to normal life or coping with the huge changes in your life that happen.

The Jeremy Kyle show was completely different. It exploited people and generally people from a lower economic or social class. It prayed on the vulnerable. I'm not surprised it's been canned.

Posted by: Klaus May 15 2019, 06:57 PM

This is more down to the viewers than it having an effect on the actual contestants which therefore means, if there any any serious problems stemming from the whole superficiality of it all, it’s a lot less public/known. Every contestant in there has the exact same body type and essentially could all be models - it’s a dangerous image to promote but it’s what is key to the success. Big Brother certainly had it’s problems but it had people from every single walk of life on there meaning that an audience member could relate to at least one person in there, rather than watching and thinking I need to be Size 0, I need to have a six pack.

Anyway, that’s kind of a whole other issue/can of worms!!

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn May 15 2019, 07:17 PM

I think certainly in the case of Mike (from what I read), he found it hard to keep up that lifestyle when the work dried up later and had no real stream of income anymore, resulting in racking up massive debts. It's terribly sad really.

Posted by: Liаm May 15 2019, 08:27 PM

Sophie spoke at length about her mental health too, not to say "oh well she would have died anyway", but both her and Mike's issues are clearly a lot more complex than just the show. I doubt being thrust into the limelight, all the potential scrutiny etc. helped, but I don't think it should be compared to this Jeremy Kyle saga at all either.

That's one good thing about the show that gets overlooked, as shallow as it is it has sparked a lot of discourse on things like mental health among a group who might otherwise be a bit ignorant and superficial, because the contestants open up about these things and have a voice that's so important among young people.

Definitely, as Liamk said I think it's a more a problem with celebrity culture in general, which is something any reality show does need to be more aware of.

That's the main fault, it's not the show's fault as such it's just something that's evolving as the show gets bigger. The show got so big so quickly in the same way and I don't think the producers were necessarily prepared for that. That isn't an excuse or defending the show just because I like it, but I think there's so many things in play with both Sophie and Mike that we can't gauge if/how much the show was at fault. Being catapulted into such fame won't have helped at all though and the show going forward needs to make it a priority that support is available in regards to that.

The difference is I think Love Island seems to be evolving its aftercare and will do everything not to let this happen again, from what I've read and heard from others who have worked on the show etc., Jeremy Kyle has been doing this for so long and hasn't changed or done anything. It grabs up people who are socially, culturally and economically disadvantaged and humiliate them, then doesn't give the access to the support they need but don't have. As Brett said, it's the only show that a certain section of society is really represented on, and I think it used that too, it was all just an awful way to go about things and it's a surprise it took this long to go so wrong, but still tragic that it did of course.


Of course it remains to be seen whether things actually will change with the next series and its aftermath, but it's crucial that it does.

Posted by: Common Sense May 16 2019, 09:20 AM

Reports today that Kyle may choose to take a £3m. contract pay off and not work for ITV again as he set up his own media business just last week before all this broke. So much is coming out now about Steve Dymond. Lots of stuff going on in his life including a warrant for his arrest for unpaid fines, yet the Kyle show has been made a scapegoat for his death when all they probably did was expose his lies.

Posted by: Serhat Mack May 17 2019, 09:56 PM

There may be lawsuits plenty from guests who have appeared on the show. I'm sure that will happen.

Posted by: Common Sense May 18 2019, 02:45 PM

I think there are clauses that they sign when they agree to appear to prevent that happening. Don't think they can hold them responsible for any future relationship or mental health problems due to lie detector results.

Posted by: Klaus Jun 18 2019, 07:32 PM

Jeremy turned down a request to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry into reality TV today which is... interesting.

of course the blame cannot be fully proportioned at him, despite him being a face for the media but it's brave to turn down such a request

Posted by: Klaus Jul 29 2019, 06:42 PM

Ofcom is proposing new rules regarding better care over the welfare of participants in programmes in response to the suicides. The rules apply to reality shows, documentaries, news and current affairs, phone-ins, quiz shows, talent contests and other forms of factual and entertainment programmes. Drama, sitcoms and soaps are not included.

The two proposed rules are:

• Due care must be taken over the welfare, wellbeing and dignity of participants in programmes
• Participants must not be caused unjustified distress or anxiety by taking part in programmes or by the broadcast of those programmes

This is a very good step forward I feel!

Posted by: lewistgreen Nov 12 2019, 09:32 PM

ITV have confirmed today the replacement lineup. Judge Rinder repeats have currently been airing.

From January 6th, Good Morning Britain will be extended running 6am-9am. Lorraine will then air 9am-10am with This Morning extended by half an hour too running 10am-12:30pm.

Makes sense I guess

Posted by: Freddie Kruger Nov 12 2019, 09:41 PM

Those were tentatively announced weeks ago but not finally confirmed. We watch Kay Burley on Sky News until 9am to count her gaffes.

Posted by: Brett-Butler Mar 14 2022, 09:01 PM

“Jeremy Kyle - Death on Daytime” on Channel 4 has been eye opening. It’s not until you watch back on it with hindsight that you realise just how horrific the participants were treated at the time. It’s a tough watch, especially for those of us like myself who used to watch it with a sense of gawp-worthy glee.

Posted by: Mack. Mar 14 2022, 09:24 PM

Certainly has been a tough watch this.

Posted by: Mack. Mar 14 2022, 09:31 PM

So they lied as to the accuracy what the lie detector tests were then?

Posted by: Mack. Mar 14 2022, 10:06 PM

ITV commissioned the show. Top executives knew exactly what the show was about. They lauded Kyle because he was bringing in the viewers in the morning slot. I have no interest in seeing Kyle on our TV screens again but there are far more than him that should be held accountable for what happened.