When Jeremy Kyle stepped onto the stage for his interview on Kate Garraway's Life Stories, no one expected the usually combative host to crumble into tears. Known for his no-nonsense attitude on The Jeremy Kyle Show, Kyle opened up about the programme's dramatic cancellation following the death of a guest in 2019.
Discover our latest podcast
What happened on show and was Jeremy Kyle to be blamed?
In 2019, The Jeremy Kyle Show was abruptly cancelled after a guest, Steve Dymond, was found dead a week after filming. Dymond had been desperate to come on to take a lie detector test to prove he hadn’t cheated on his ex-fiancée, Jane Callaghan. The unaired episode, which was later shown during an inquest, featured Kyle delivering a series of harsh remarks including:
The test says you are lying, pal, you failed every single question.
And:
The studio thought you were telling the truth, I wouldn't trust you with a chocolate button mate.
Audience boos and emotional outbursts followed, with Dymond insisting:
I wasn't, I have never been unfaithful.
Kyle responded further with:
Be a man, grow a pair of balls and tell her the goddam truth.
He also made a sarcastic remark asking if anyone had a shovel when Dymond tried to explain messaging another woman.
According to Sky News, Dymond had a long and serious history of mental health struggles. He had been diagnosed with depressive disorder in 1995 and had taken overdoses on four occasions. He was sectioned in 2005 and assessed as being at ‘risk of suicide.’ The inquest heard that he also attempted to take his life in 2002.
The episode in question was never aired, and after the show was filmed, Dymond reportedly told a researcher ‘I wish I was dead.’
The inquest concluded that Dymond died from a morphine overdose combined with a heart condition known as left ventricular hypertrophy. The coroner stated there was no 'clear and reliable causal connection' between his death and his appearance on the show.
Video clips from the unaired episode were presented in court. These included moments where Kyle confronted Dymond aggressively and audience reactions grew hostile. The inquest also revealed that Dymond was briefed on the lie detector process, being informed by a polygraph examiner that the tests were 95% accurate and that failing one question would result in failing the whole test.
Jeremy Kyle defended himself under questioning, maintaining that he did not belittle or humiliate Dymond.
The production, the producing, the after-care, the lie detector test were not my responsibility, I was the presenter.
When challenged by the Dymond family’s lawyer about whether he believed the guest was humiliated, Kyle replied:
I do not.
He also insisted that the show’s structure included both 'conflict' and 'resolution', and that Mr Dymond’s episode followed the same arc.
Despite the tragedy, Kyle said he stood by the concept of the show and highlighted that it was the most-watched daytime programme on ITV at the time.
Kyle on heartbreak, frustration and five years of silence
Speaking to Kate Garraway in 2025, Kyle admitted the aftermath of Dymond’s death was devastating. He said:
My thoughts were always first and foremost for Steve Dymond.
To get to a point where you would do that, must be terrible and his family but it was so frustrating Kate because for five years I couldn't say anything for legal reasons.
He continued:
I wasn't able to say anything and I thought about the people who lost their jobs over night, lost their mortgages, lost their livelihoods.
The show, which ran for 17 series and 3,320 episodes, was axed in May 2019. Kyle acknowledged the criticism he received, saying:
I completely get the people who were critics of the show, the "He had it coming!" "Gobby!" whatever. I get that, it's fine, no bitterness, no anger. You find out who you're friends are.
Despite the backlash, Kyle still believes the show served a purpose. He said:
We launched in 2005, that was just before the advent of social media and I think that changed everything.
Many people were invested in it. The world has changed dramatically - you can’t say boo to a goose now, can you?
A look into Kyle’s life after the show got cancelled
Since the show’s cancellation, Jeremy Kyle has lived a quieter life—though not without its challenges. The Daily Mail reports that he currently lives in a gated community in Windsor.
Kyle has six children from three different relationships. His first marriage to Kirsty Rowley ended due to his gambling addiction. His second marriage to Carla Germaine lasted over a decade and produced three children. Their split was bitter. Things went further south when Kyle began a relationship with their nanny, Vicky Burton. Burton and Kyle married in 2021 and have two young children together.
Now, Kyle hosts a show on TalkTV, though the channel's reach is much smaller than his former ITV platform. In February, he became one of five directors of Lykeable Limited, a new production company. He’s set to headline an event titled Jeremy Kyle Tells It Live Like It Is at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in May.
Whether for financial reasons or a genuine desire to re-engage with the public, Kyle appears ready to re-enter the spotlight.
Read more:
Meghan Markle's father criticises her Netflix show: 'She's trying so hard to be perfect'
David Beckham celebrates 50th early with lavish birthday bash
Geri Halliwell opens up about relationship with Christian Horner: 'We’re quite silly'
Sources used:
The Sun: Emotional moment Jeremy Kyle fights back tears as he talks about show axe on Kate Garraway’s Life Stories
Sky News: Steve Dymond inquest: Unaired clip from The Jeremy Kyle Show released for first time - as presenter defends himself
Daily Mail: Jeremy Kyle's life after being cancelled over guest suicide as he makes ITV return for first time in 6 years on Kate Garraway's Life Stories
