In a long-awaited conclusion to the inquest into the tragic death of Steve Dymond, a coroner has ruled that there is “no causal link” between his appearance on The Jeremy Kyle Show and his subsequent suicide.
Steve Dymond, 63, from Portsmouth, took his own life on May 9, 2019, just seven days after recording an episode of the ITV show. The episode, which was never broadcast, featured Dymond taking a lie detector test regarding allegations of infidelity in his relationship.
The inquest, which concluded today, found “insufficient evidence” to suggest that Dymond’s treatment on the show “was the direct cause of his death.” This ruling comes after years of speculation and debate about the show’s impact on its participants.
Last week, Jeremy Kyle himself gave evidence at the inquest. The TV presenter denied humiliating Dymond, despite footage from the unaired episode showing Kyle telling the guest to “grow a pair.” Kyle’s spokesperson stated that the coroner’s remarks “clearly and unequivocally” show that the presenter “did not in any way cause or contribute to” Dymond’s “tragic suicide.
The Jeremy Kyle Show, which ran for 14 years from 2005 to 2019, was a staple of British daytime television. Known for its confrontational style and controversial subject matter, the show featured guests discussing personal and relationship problems, often culminating in lie detector tests or DNA results.
Following Dymond’s death, ITV permanently cancelled the show on May 15, 2019, amid growing concerns about the welfare of its participants. The incident sparked a wider debate about the ethics of reality TV and the duty of care owed to participants in such programs.
While the coroner’s ruling may provide some closure to this particular case, the legacy of The Jeremy Kyle Show and its impact on British popular culture and television ethics continues to be a subject of discussion and analysis.
