Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
A coroner has ruled that The Jeremy Kyle Show’s treatment of Steve Dymond was not a “contributory factor” to his death.
Mr Dymond, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, took his own life seven days after filming for The Jeremy Kyle Show in May 2019.
The 63-year-old became “distraught” after he failed a lie detector test for the ITV show which he had taken in the hope of proving that he had not cheated on his fiancee Jane Callaghan, from Gosport.
Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg said: “The deceased’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.”
A statement released after the inquest on behalf of Kyle said that he had been “exonerated” by the coroner’s ruling.
Ruling out Steve Dymond’s treatment by show as a contributory factor to his death, Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg said: “There is insufficient evidence for me to be satisfied that this was the direct cause of Steve’s death.”
He gave a conclusion of “suicide” at the inquest saying Mr Dymond was suffering from “mental distress” at the belief that his relationship had “irretrievably broken down”.
He added that Mr Dymond had left notes for this family and said: “There is nothing in those notes where Mr Dymond is critical of his treatment by the show.”
The Winchester inquest heard he was “booed” by the audience during the filming after a lie detector test suggested he had been lying about having not cheated on his partner Jane Callaghan.
The inquest was also told that after filming had finished, Mr Dymond had told a researcher: “I wish I was dead.”
Dismissing The Jeremy Kyle Show as a “direct cause of Steve Dymond’s distress”, coroner Jason Pegg said: “These accounts are not supported with any independent expert evidence to evaluate the impact of his treatment on the show.
“It would be unsafe to infer these links in the absence of a clear and reliable causal connection.
“Steve Dymond’s participation in the show is one of a number of factors, and whilst possible that the manner experience added to his distress it is not probable.
“The weight which can be attached to these accounts must be balanced with the other evidence available in the aftermath of the show including Steve Dymond’s own reliability, the evidence from witnesses and the rush recordings.
“Aftercare records indicate Steve Dymond was ’emotionally contained’ and expressed no dissatisfaction towards his treatment during the recording with a plan for follow-up CBT support.”
The inquest also heard how there is “insufficient evidence” to conclude whether or not Mr Dymond lied during his lie detector test.
The Winchester inquest heard on Tuesday that a polygraph test taken by Mr Dymond on the show recorded that he was lying when he said he had not cheated on his partner.
Jason Pegg told the inquest: “The lie detector test recorded that Steve had provided an untruthful response to all questions asked of him.
“The expert evidence within the recording noted that a failure to one question may result in failure of them all.
“There is insufficient evidence for me to be satisfied whether or not Steve had indeed lied during the lie detector test.”
He said it was recognised by Jon Millership, a senior producer on the Jeremy Kyle show, that the accuracy of a lie detector test was “between 60-96%”.
“It is accepted that the lie detector test cannot be considered to be wholly accurate,” he said.
After the ruling Jeremy Kyle described how the “false accusations” against him since Steve Dymond’s death had taken a “huge toll on him and his family”.
In a statement released after the inquest, he 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.
“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.”
