Jeremy Kyle Show death: No clear link between Steve Dymond’s appearance on the show and his suicide – coroner
There is “no clear link” between the appearance of a guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show and his suicide, a coroner has concluded.
Steve Dymond, 63, was found dead at his home in Portsmouth, Hampshire, in May 2019, seven days after taking part in the show.
Pic: Kyle backstage with Steve Dymond. Pic: PA
Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg said there was “an absence of reliable evidence” that the events on the show directly led to his death.
Mr Pegg also concluded there was “insufficient evidence” that Jeremy Kyle contributed to Mr Dymond’s adverse mental state.
A representative for Kyle said the conclusion had “exonerated” the presenter, allowing his name to be “cleared,” adding that the case “had taken a huge toll on him and his family”.
In a statement, delivered outside court by solicitors for Mr Dymond’s family, his son Carl Woolley said the “only good thing” that has come from his father’s death was that The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled.
‘Speculative’ to say Kyle caused Mr Dymond’s death
Coroner Jason Pegg said he had considered the evidence to determine whether “the comments and treatment by the presenter during [Mr Dymond’s] participation in the recording of the show contributed to his adverse mental state.”
He said there was “insufficient evidence” to be “satisfied that this was the direct cause of [Mr Dymond’s] distress.”
Mr Pegg told the Winchester inquest: “Having considered the evidence carefully there is an absence of reliable evidence that demonstrates that Steven Dymond’s appearance on the Jeremy Kyle Show probably caused or contributed to his death. To do so would be speculative.
“I am not satisfied that events on Jeremy Kyle Show gave rise to a clear link that caused or contributed to the death of Steven Dymond such that I should be recording this as a contributing factor.
“Steven Dymond had a history of a diagnosed personality disorder and mental illness which presented on a number of occasions before any appearance of the Jemery Kyle Show and resulted in Steve Dymond self-harming or displaying thoughts of suicide.”
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Steve Dymond finds out lie detector results
‘No dissatisfaction’ over treatment during filming
Mr Pegg went on to say: “[Mr Dymond’s] decision to take his own life was made in the context of his mental distress that was probably exacerbated by his belief that a significant relationship had now irretrievably broken down following his participation on a television programme where it had been suggested that the deceased had lied to his partner.”
Mr Dymond had taken a lie detector test for the ITV programme after being accused of cheating on his ex-fiancee Jane Callaghan. Clips from the unaired show were played during the inquest.
The court were told that Mr Dymond had been “booed” by the audience at the reveal of the test results, and told a researcher after filming had finished: “I wish I was dead.”
Mr Dymond was later described to the court as being left “broken” and “distraught” after appearing on the show.
Noting ITV’s aftercare support, offered after filming, the coroner said: “Aftercare records indicate [Mr Dymond] was ’emotionally contained’ and expressed no dissatisfaction towards his treatment during the recording with a plan for follow up CBT [cognitive behavioural therapy] support.”
The court heard that the last known contact with Mr Dymond was on the evening of 6 May 2019. He was found dead in his room three days later.
He had left notes to his family indicating his intention to take his own life.
Jeremy Kyle leaves Winchester Coroner’s Court.
Pic: PA
‘A huge toll’ on Kyle and his family
A statement on behalf of Kyle, issued after the inquest conclusion, said: “His Majesty’s Coroner has today clearly and unequivocally found that Jeremy Kyle did not in any way cause or contribute to the tragic suicide of Steve Dymond. He is now exonerated of that ill-informed accusation and his name has finally been cleared.
“Out of respect for the family of Mr Dymond and the judicial process, Jeremy has always maintained that it would be inappropriate to discuss details whilst the legal inquest was ongoing and he has remained steadfastly silent in the face of lies, false accusations and unfair criticism over the last 5 1/2 years.”
It went on: “This has taken a huge toll on him and his family and he would like to thank everyone who has truly supported him through these tough times.”
A coroner found that Mr Dymond had died of a combination of a morphine overdose and a heart condition, and his cause of death was suicide.
Jeremy Kyle. Pic: Channel 4/ITV/Shutterstock
In a statement, read outside the inquest by one of Mr Dymond’s family solicitors, his son Carl Woolley said: “It has been five years since my father died.
“In my view anyone watching the clips of the show would see that he was in tears, and spoken to in the most brutal way by Jeremy Kyle.
“The coroner has recorded that the lie detector test, in which Jeremy Kyle believes in so strongly, can have an accuracy of 60-96%.
“The only good thing that came from my father’s death is that The Jeremy Kyle Show is cancelled.”
‘Be a man, grow a pair’
Giving evidence earlier in the week, presenter Jeremy Kyle defended both his chat show and his presenting style, telling the court he neither “humiliated” or “belittled” Mr Dymond, insisting he had “de-escalated” the situation and “calmed it down”.
Clips played in court including Mr Kyle telling Mr Dymond: “Be a man, grow a pair of balls and tell her the goddam truth.”
Another featured the 59-year-old presenter asking: “Has anyone got a shovel?” as Mr Dymond attempted to explain why he had been messaging another woman.
A further clip showed Kyle saying: “The studio thought you were telling the truth, I wouldn’t trust you with a chocolate button, mate.”
The Jeremy Kyle Show first aired in 2005 and ran for 17 series before it was cancelled on 10 May 2019, the day after Mr Dymond’s death.
It was ITV’s most popular daytime programme.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.
His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.
On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.
Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic: PA
In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.
The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.
“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.
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Why Gregg Wallace says he ‘will not go quietly’
A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.
“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
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Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.
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BBC annual report findings
Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.
“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.
“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”
Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”
In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.
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