Jeremy Kyle “rehabilitated”, coroner clears blame for man’s death

A coroner has ruled that the way Steve Dymond was treated on the Jeremy Kyle Show was not a “contributory factor” in his death. The ITV presenter said he felt “vindicated” by the finding.

Mr Dymond, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, took his own life seven days after filming The Jeremy Kyle Show in May 2019.

The 63-year-old was left “desperate” after failing a lie detector test for the ITV show. He took the test to prove he had not cheated on his fiancée Jane Callaghan, from Gosport.

Coroner Jason Pegg said: “The deceased's decision to take his own life was made against a backdrop of emotional distress, which was probably exacerbated by his belief that an important relationship had now been irretrievably broken after taking part in a television programme which implied that the deceased had lied to his partner.”

Pegg dismissed the Jeremy Kyle Show as a “direct cause of Steve Dymond's despair” and said: “It would be unsafe to infer these connections unless there is a clear and reliable causal link.”

“Steve Dymond's participation in the show is one of several factors, and while it is possible that the nature of his experience contributed to his distress, this is unlikely.

“The strength of these reports must be balanced against the other evidence that became available in the aftermath of the show, including Steve Dymond's own credibility, the testimony of witnesses and the fast-track footage.

“Follow-up records indicate that Steve Dymond was 'emotionally in control' and did not express dissatisfaction with his treatment during the recordings. A plan was in place for follow-up cognitive behavioral therapy.”

Mr Pegg added: “At the time, The Jeremy Kyle Show was a well-known show, Jeremy Kyle’s presenting style, which could be critical of guests, was well known.

“Steve Dymond had seen The Jeremy Kyle Show before and was familiar with Jeremy Kyle's presenting style.”

Mr Pegg said there was “insufficient evidence” to be convinced that Mr Dymond lied during the lie detector test.

He added: “There are a number of possibilities why Steve was distressed after the results were announced – possible examples could be that Steve was actually telling the truth, it is possible that Steve was manipulative or that he was aware of the consequences of the impact on his relationship.”

A statement released on Mr Kyle's behalf after the inquest said he had been “vindicated” by the coroner's verdict.

The statement said: “His Majesty's Coroner has today clearly and unequivocally found that Jeremy Kyle in no way caused or contributed to the tragic suicide of Steve Dymond.

“He has now been acquitted of this baseless accusation and his name has finally been cleared.

“Out of respect for Mr Dymond's family and the legal process, Jeremy has always stressed that it would be inappropriate to discuss any details while the judicial investigation is ongoing and he has remained steadfastly silent in the face of lies, false accusations and unjustified criticism over the past five and a half years.

“This has been a huge burden on him and his family and he would like to thank everyone who has really supported him during these difficult times.”

Mr Dymond's son Carl Woolley said the “only good thing” about his father's death was the cancellation of The Jeremy Kyle Show.

In a statement read outside the inquest by one of the family's lawyers, Mr Woolley said: 'It has been five years since my father died.

“In my opinion, anyone who watches the clips from the show would see that he burst into tears and that Jeremy Kyle treated him in the most brutal way.

“The coroner has determined that the lie detector test that Jeremy Kyle believes in so strongly can have an accuracy of 60 to 96 percent.

“The only good thing about my father's death is that The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled.”

ITV said in a statement following the investigation that it was “committed to developing and improving the way it looks after guests on its shows”.

The broadcaster said: “We extend our deepest sympathy to those close to Mr Dymond and recognise how difficult the investigation and the last five years have been for them.

“The coroner could not establish a causal link between Steve Dymond’s appearance on the Jeremy Kyle Show and his death.

“In his findings of fact, the Coroner confirmed that there were extensive due diligence processes in place on The Jeremy Kyle Show which covered the selection of contributors to appear on the show and their care during and after filming.

“The coroner described how these processes were pursued with Steve Dymond, including the offer of subsequent cognitive behavioural therapy.

“ITV is committed to developing and strengthening the care we provide to all participants on our shows. We believe this sets industry-leading standards for the selection, protection and support of participants.”

Mr Pegg determined it was suicide, with the cause of death given as an overdose of a prescribed medication and hypertrophy of the left ventricle.

He added that Mr Dymond had left notes to his family and said: “There is nothing in those notes where Mr Dymond criticises his treatment by the show.”

Mr Dymond was diagnosed with depressive disorder in 1995 and had overdosed four times – in January 1995, twice in December 2002 and in April 2005, the court heard.

It was also said that he attempted to harm himself in December 2002.

The investigation found that Mr Dymond had called the show 40 to 50 times in “desperate” attempts to appear as a guest and prove that he had not been unfaithful.

His first application for the show was rejected in early April because he had been diagnosed with depression and prescribed medication.

He then received a letter from his family doctor, Dr. Amjad Rehman, stating that he had not taken the medication and that his mood had improved.

He was subsequently assessed as suitable for the role by Steph MacDonald, a psychiatric nurse who works for the series, as her assessment found him to be “not depressed”.

Mr Kyle defended his dealings with Mr Dymond during the May 2 recording, saying he tried to “de-escalate” the situation, adding that the selection of guests and their aftercare were “not my responsibility, I was the host”.

In excerpts from the recording of the hearing, Mr Kyle can be heard telling Mr Dymond: “The studio thought you were telling the truth. I wouldn't trust you with a chocolate bar, mate.”

After the admission, Mr Dymond was described as “desperate” and a “broken man”.

– The Samaritans can be contacted on 116123 or by email at [email protected].