Jeremy Kyle denies humiliating TV guest who died

TV presenter Jeremy Kyle has denied humiliating a guest on his former talk show who later took a fatal overdose.

An inquest has heard Steve Dymond was found dead from the combined effect of a morphine overdose and a heart condition at his home in Portsmouth in May 2019.

The 63-year-old, who had a history of suicide attempts, had taken part in the show a week earlier in an attempt to prove he had not cheated on his partner, the inquest in Winchester previously heard.

In the footage shown at the inquest Mr Kyle told the guest to “grow a pair” and “I wouldn’t trust you with a chocolate button”.

Giving evidence, the TV presenter said he had tried to “de-escalate” a conflict with Mr Dymond’s partner Jane Callaghan, who feared that he was cheating on her.

In a key clip, the programme audience exclaimed in shock when the results of a lie detector test were revealed.

Mr Kyle told Mr Dymond: “Just so you’re aware you failed every single question.”

The guest responded: “Oh my God”, and stood up. Ms Callaghan cried hysterically and left the studio.

The clip, shown to the inquest, showed the recording continuing backstage.

Mr Dymond was filmed pleading: “I swear to God.

“I am being so straight, I have never been more straight.”

Mr Kyle told the inquest: “From the moment Steve Dymond came out, I called him ‘mate’, I called him ‘pal’.

“I de-escalated, I calmed it down, I pushed it backstage.

“And that was what the show was all about – conflict resolution.”

The presenter was asked by inquest counsel Rachel Spearing whether he felt Dymond was “humiliated” on the show.

Jeremy Kyle replied: “No. I’ve read that I called him a traitor. No I didn’t. It was the show as I understood the show.

“Sad as it might sound, it was a typical part.”

He added that the show insisted on a doctor agreeing to let Mr Dymond come on, and provided aftercare services.

Previously, the court heard Mr Dymond was distressed after being “booed” and “heckled” by the programme’s audience.

He found dead at his home in Grafton Street on 9 May 2019.

His GP, Dr Amjad Rehman, told the hearing Mr Dymond had taken overdoses four times in previous years, had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act for his safety and had been diagnosed with both a depression and a personality disorder.

However, the doctor wrote a letter at Mr Dymond’s request which allowed him to appear on the show, the hearing was previously told.

The open letter said Mr Dymond had a “history of low mood and depression but his mood has improved since he got back together with his partner”.

On Tuesday, Mr Dymond’s son Carl Woolley told the inquest his father had been “very down” after the recording.

He told the hearing: “Jeremy Kyle had got the crowd to egg on, to boo at him and stuff, he was cast as the liar before he had even spoken.”

He said his father insisted he had not been unfaithful to his partner Jane Callaghan.

The hearing continues.

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