Jeremy Kyle has said that he is taking legal action against Channel 4 over a documentary about the death of contributor Steve Dymond.
Airing its first part on Sunday (13 March) night, Jeremy Kyle Show: Death on Daytime looks into the world behind the scenes on the controversial ITV daytime show, which was cancelled in 2019 after Dymond died by suicide days after taking part in filming.
The documentary sees anonymous former Jeremy Kyle employees discuss their time working on the show.
Among the claims made include that staff were encouraged to agitate guests before they appeared on stage, with one employee calling it “psychological carnage”.
In a statement shared with The Sun, Kyle said that he “would like to reiterate my deepest sympathies to the friends and family of Mr Dymond”.
He continued: “I’ve consistently maintained it would be inappropriate to discuss the tragic death of Steve Dymond before the legal inquest into it has concluded.
“Likewise, the false and damaging allegations made against me by Channel 4 are with the lawyers now… Now is not the time to debate or discuss what is an ongoing legal process. When I can respond, I will.”
Responding to the Channel 4 documentary, ITV said that they denied the documentary’s “central allegation” that there was a “bad culture” within The Jeremy Kyle Show’s production team.
“ITV would never condone any of its production staff misleading or lying to guests,” they said. “The show had a dedicated guest welfare team of mental healthcare professionals. Guests were supported prior to filming, throughout filming and after filming.”
Jeremy Kyle Show: Death on Daytime concludes Monday 14 March at 9pm on Channel 4.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
