Jeremy Kyle defends talk show format and denies humiliating guests during Steve Dymond inquest

Steve Dymond was found dead at his Portsmouth home on May 9, 2019, shortly after his appearance on the controversial The Jeremy Kyle Show. The inquest heard that he had become deeply distressed after his participation, where he was subjected to abuse and was publicly branded a liar during a lie detector test. This public shaming reportedly pushed him to the brink, leading to his tragic death.

Testifying at the inquest into Dymond’s death at Winchester Coroner’s Court on Thursday (September 5), Kyle said: “I did not create the show, I was the presenter,” and rejected accusations that he provoked negative reactions from the audience or humiliated Dymond.

The inquest was set to examine Dymond’s interactions with his GP, his assessment for participation in The Jeremy Kyle Show, and the aftercare provided following the programme. Spearing noted that the inquest would also delve into Dymond’s “reaction to the lie detector test” administered on the show.

Dymond’s son, Carl Woolley, testified on Wednesday that his father had been “very upset” after recording The Jeremy Kyle Show. Dymond had agreed to take a lie detector test on the ITV programme after being accused of cheating on his ex-fiancée, Jane Callaghan. Carl recounted that his father told him Jeremy Kyle had “egged on” the audience to “boo him” and that he was “cast as the liar.”

According to Carl, his father insisted that “he was telling the truth, he was not lying and telling the truth and asking why it said he had lied”. When asked by counsel to the inquest, Rachel Spearing, who had “jumped on him,” Carl replied: “Jeremy Kyle had got the crowd to egg on, to boo at him and stuff, he was cast as the liar before he had even spoken.”

Kyle said: “In my 14-and-a-half years, I was not involved in the selection of guests. I was employed absolutely as the presenter.” He explained that he received a dossier the night before filming detailing the day's guests, but had no role in the selection process or the lie detector tests.

Regarding the structure of his show, Kyle defended the format, stating that it was based on “conflict resolution,” which he believed was the “right approach.” He described the episodes as a “journey” for the participants, aimed at facing the truth. Referring to Dymond’s case specifically, Kyle said: “I de-escalated, I calmed it down and I put them backstage,” adding that his approach was always “direct but empathetic”.

During the inquest, clips of the episode involving Dymond were played, where the former guest admitted to telling lies but insisted he had not been unfaithful to his partner. After the lie detector results revealed he had failed, Kyle is seen telling Dymond: “The test says you are lying, pal, you failed every single question.” Audience boos followed, with Kyle adding: “The studio thought you were telling the truth, I wouldn’t trust you with a chocolate button, mate.”

Despite this exchange, Kyle maintained that he did not encourage the audience to turn against Dymond. “I asked them to give him a round of applause,” he said, stressing that the production, lie detector, and aftercare were not his responsibilities.

When questioned by Maya Sikand KC, representing Dymond’s family, about whether his interactions with Dymond were belittling, Kyle disagreed, saying: “It was the part, that’s the way The Jeremy Kyle Show was.” He also refuted the suggestion that his comments were humiliating, maintaining that he was simply playing his role as presenter in a format designed around conflict resolution.

Kyle further stated that there was no message or complaint from Dymond, in a series of text messages and WhatsApp conversations, about his treatment on the show. He added that Dymond had submitted a letter from his GP supporting his appearance on the show, which Kyle believed was a “double security blanket” ensuring Dymond’s suitability as a guest.

Reflecting on the case, Kyle admitted: “I have thought about [the chocolate button comment] for many months and I do not know where that came from,” but he stood by his actions and the structure of the show during his testimony at the inquest.