Jeremy Kyle 'may have caused or contributed to' death of show guest Steve Dymond

Jeremy Kyle "may have caused or contributed to" the death of a man who is suspected to have taken his own life after failing a lie detector test while appearing as a guest on the presenter's self-titled show, a court has heard.

The preliminary hearing is being held into the death of 63-year-old Steve Dymond who died of a morphine overdose and a heart problem at his home in Portsmouth, Hampshire, seven days after he had filmed for the now-cancelled programme.

In his appearance on The Jeremy Kyle Show last year, Dymond took a lie detector test to show whether he had cheated on ex-fiancee Jane Callaghan.

Read more: Steve Dymond told researcher 'I wish I was dead' before suicide

Kyle is an "interested person" in the inquest, stated Hampshire Coroner Jason Pegg, as someone “who may have caused or contributed to the death of Stephen Dymond”.

He added that it would seem "ludicrous" for Kyle not to give "his taken on the situation" at a future inquest. Pegg also stated the inquest "not be an enquiry into the show generally" and would not be held in front of a jury.

Counsel for Dymond’s family Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC told the Winchester hearing that Mr Dymond became “distressed” after he failed the lie detector test.

She said Dymond had gone on the show to “prove his fidelity”, and had said: “I pushed and pushed but it all went wrong.”

Watch: ITV boss says ‘people knew’ lie detector tests weren’t accurate

Gallagher went on to say the audience had "booed and jeered" Dymond while he was "called a failure" by Kyle, who had been "in his face".

She continued that Dymond had attempted to leave through a side door but found it locked. Gallagher remarked: "He couldn’t escape the heckling. He was on his hands and knees because he thought he was going to pass out from the stress.”

Read more: Jeremy Kyle episode axed after lie detector test result disproved

He had been receiving mental health care from Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, the inquest heard.

Dymond's brother Lesley said in a statement read to the hearing that his sibling had seemed "completely broken and frightened" when he called him from a taxi after the show.

He added that Dymond had told him he "couldn't go on living".

The court also heard that Dymond was initially deemed "unsuitable" by his doctor to appear on the show in March 2019, however, on 29 April his GP gave him a letter telling him he could participate.

Dymond’s death in May 2019 was caused by a morphine overdose and left ventricular hypertrophy, which is when the left chamber of the heart is not pumping properly, the inquest previously heard.

The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled on 10 May 2019, the day following Dymond's death.

The hearing continues.

With additional reporting by PA.

For confidential emotional support at times of distress, contact The Samaritans at any time by calling 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.

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