The long-running daytime TV programme The Jeremy Kyle Show has been axed.
The decision comes after a former guest of the show, 63-year-old Steven Dymond, was found dead at his home ten days after appearing on the programme.
ITV’s CEO Carolyn McCall said:
Given the gravity of recent events we have decided to end production of The Jeremy Kyle Show.
Following the news of Dymond’s death, ITV initially suspended production of the show. A spokesperson for the prime minister called it ‘deeply concerning’.
The network has now decided to stop production entirely.
In a statement, ITV said:
Given the gravity of recent events we have decided to end production of The Jeremy Kyle Show.
The Jeremy Kyle Show has had a loyal audience and has been made by a dedicated production team for 14 years, but now is the right time for the show to end.
Everyone at ITV’s thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Steve Dymond.
The previously announced review of the episode of the show is under way and will continue.
ITV will continue to work with Jeremy Kyle on other projects.
Earlier this week, a former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists called the show ‘the theatre of cruelty’, according to BBC News.
An inquest into the death of Steve Dymond is likely to be held within the next few days, as the coroner’s office await the results of a post-mortem investigation.
In a statement from ITV, the creators of the show said at the time:
Everyone at ITV and The Jeremy Kyle Show is shocked and saddened at the news of the death of a participant in the show a week after the recording of the episode they featured in and our thoughts are with their family and friends.
Steve’s fiancée Jane had previously spoken about how he wanted to appear on the show, despite underlying health worries. The couple appeared on the show after Jane accused him of cheating on her, though he always maintained this was not the case.
Jane and Steve’s family are now waiting for an official cause of death from a coroner.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.