Jeremy Kyle to return to TV for first time since show axed over death of guest
Jeremy Kyle is set to make his television comeback on the new channel talkTV, it has been confirmed.
The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled by ITV in May 2019 after guest Steve Dymond died a week after failing a lie detector test filmed for the reality show, and Kyle has not been seen on screens since.
But News UK has now confirmed the 56-year-old talkRADIO presenter will join a line-up of presenters including Piers Morgan, Julia Hartley-Brewer, and Mike Graham on its new channel, which launches on Monday 25 April.
A statement for the channel revealed: “talkTV’s primetime schedule will also be simulcast on talkRadio. And talkRadio’s roster of daytime talent, including Julia Hartley-Brewer, Mike Graham, Ian Collins and Jeremy Kyle, will be broadcast on talkTV.
Read more: Jeremy Kyle speaks out on documentary which showed him mocking guests
“TalkRadio has seen fast growth in recent years across all platforms and has been broadcasting successfully on talkRadio TV since last year.”
Kyle currently presents the Drivetime slot on talkRadio.
He recently spoke out after Channel 4 aired new documentary Jeremy Kyle Show: Death on Daytime, featuring ex-production staff claiming guests were lied to, baited and manipulated in order to provoke them into fighting on the show.
Kyle, 56, said on his radio show: "I have said that I will not comment on the tragic death of Steve Dymond until the legal process has finished and that is the position that I will maintain.
Watch: Jeremy Kyle addressed the C4 documentary on his radio show
And when, and trust me there will be a time after the inquest, when it is right and proper for me to have my say. Because of course, there are two sides to every single story."
At a preliminary hearing of the inquest into the death of Dymond, the coroner named Kyle as an "interested person" who, "may have caused or contributed to the death of Stephen Dymond”.
Dymond, 63, is believed to have taken his own life but a full inquest into his death has yet to take place.
The inquest was recently postponed due to a further family bereavement.
In 2019 Kyle declined to appear before an inquiry by the Committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Death On Daytime featured behind the scenes footage of Kyle telling production staff, "'I don't understand, they're terrible f***ing guests, you've done it again, they're as thick as s***."
Channel 4 said: “Jeremy Kyle was approached for a response to the series. He did not provide a statement for broadcast. We will reflect his position in the film.”
An ITV statement said: "ITV does not accept the central allegation of this programme of a 'bad culture' within the production team.
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"We note that the programme includes anonymous former production members claiming wrongdoing by themselves and others, without supporting evidence. ITV would never condone any of its production staff misleading or lying to guests."
After Dymond's death from a drug overdose, Ofcom said programmes such as The Jeremy Kyle Show and Love Island need to make sure that they look after their contributors following concerns about mental health.
For confidential emotional support at times of distress, contact The Samaritans at any time by calling 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.