The Jeremy Kyle Show sometimes faked certain lie detector results in order to “spice up” the episodes, a former producer on the show has claimed.

In a recent interview with The Sun, the ex-employee alleged that when the polygraph tests were unable to conclusively determine whether a guest was telling the truth, people behind the scenes were occasionally asked to pick an outcome.

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"The show was an absolute circus,” they stated candidly. “If a lie detector test was 50/50, it would be up to the producer to decide a result."

They went on to recall how “there was massive pressure from above to just go with the dramatic result” and that many people on set had “no regard for the damage if could do to someone’s life.”

The Jeremy Kyle Show was officially axed from ITV on Wednesday 15 May following the death of Steve Dymond, whose body was found in his bedsit just ten days after he took part in a recording of the show in April. During his segment, the 63-year-old was reportedly found guilty of cheating on his new fiancée.

“The culture was totally toxic,” the producer continued. “Guests were seen as assets to be exploited. If their stories weren’t interesting enough, we were expected to spice them up.

Just a few days ago, The Sun discovered that Bruce Burgess, who conducts The Jeremy Kyle Show’s lie detector tests, stepped down from the British Polygraph Association after he was caught lying to the police about a speeding offence.

Talking to the same publication, a former staffer alleged that workers were forced to find mental health care professionals online and that very few vulnerable guests ever met in-house therapist Graham Stanier.

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“Guests were promised the best level of aftercare, which was non-existent,” she explained. “We were told to Google therapists where they lived, with no regard for reputation or expertise. The show would pay for four sessions and that was it.”

Yahoo News UK has reached out to ITV for comment.