ITV confirmed this morning (Wednesday, May 15) that The Jeremy Kyle Show had been permanently cancelled.
There had been speculation of this fate after Monday morning’s episode was pulled, with a statement issued then explaining that the filming and broadcasting of the programme had been indefinitely halted, following the death of a guest, pending an investigation.
Yesterday, the participant was named as 62-year-old Steve Dymond, who reportedly died from an overdose after being ‘humiliated’ and ‘traumatised’ by his appearance on the show.
Mr Dymond had decided to take part in the ITV Daytime show to take a lie detector test in an attempt to prove to his partner, Jane Callaghan, that he hadn’t been unfaithful.
But the digger driver, from Hampshire, failed the test, and his relationship broke down.
Last Thursday, a little over a week after he filmed the programme, Mr Dymond was found dead at home by his landlady, who claimed he hadn’t received adequate aftercare from the ITV show.
Devastated former partner Ms Callaghan asserted that the team had given Steve “brilliant” aftercare and had made multiple efforts to contact him.
She also revealed that her ex had been diagnosed with depression in February, but had been given a note by his doctor stating he was fit to partake in the show.
ITV issued a lengthy statement yesterday, explaining the aftercare procedures for production teams and participants on its shows.
But today it released a further statement confirming that The Jeremy Kyle Show had been permanently cancelled.
Read more: Jeremy Kyle ‘thought ITV were waiting for an excuse to ditch show’
So, where does this leave the host of the show since it launched in 2005, one of ITV’s most high-profile presenters?
TV critic Adam Postans told Entertainment Daily: “With a daytime series as popular and successful as The Jeremy Kyle Show now consigned to the dustbin of TV history, you have to wonder where the host goes from here.
“He has tried being a game show host, with ITV’s High Stakes (remember that?!) but the hat very clearly didn’t fit — it’s just not his format.
“We have had a couple of series of mid-afternoon programme Jeremy Kyle’s Emergency Room, which pretended to be a serious medical show but was basically a poor man’s Embarrassing Bodies.
“The presenter is, however, synonymous with the human bear-baiting that was The Jeremy Kyle Show.
“Even though that’s now gone, and in the most awful and regrettable of circumstances, I very much doubt ITV will want to sever ties with him.
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“He already fronts one of the network’s more serious documentary offerings in the form of The Kyle Files and I suspect that is now where he will focus his TV efforts.
“His background is in commercial radio and there will surely be a queue of stations eager to sign him up too.
“No matter what you thought of The Jeremy Kyle Show, the host is a consummate broadcaster. He’ll be back.”
Time will tell.
If you are struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, contact Samaritans free on 116 123.
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