Did Kyle show really help concoct sordid tale of threesome that left a wife pregnant?
A HUSBAND yesterday accused Jeremy Kyle producers of fabricating a story about his wife cheating and getting pregnant after a threesome. Peter Franks, 38, posted an innocuous comment about his marriage woes on the ITV show’s Facebook page last November.
Within hours a researcher messaged him back and bombarded him with calls to persuade him and his wife, Amanda, 36, to appear.
When Mr Franks insisted they just ‘argued like other couples’ and didn’t have an interesting story to tell, producers allegedly made one up. He claimed this resulted in both taking fake lie detector tests to prove their fidelity, as well as Mr Franks having a DNA test to establish the paternity of their second child.
Producers allegedly gave the couple a script to learn an hour before filming and later ordered them to delete messages between themselves and the programme from their tablet and mobile phones.
When they objected, Mr Franks said the show threatened not to pay their £500 fee or for their journey home. ‘It’s all faked to boost ratings,’ said Mr Franks, who cares for the couple’s two children aged two and three. ‘The researcher told us they were short of guests and that we didn’t need to worry because they would sort out a story for us.
‘They were constantly ringing us, then they said they had come up with an idea, so we said we would do it.’
The ‘idea’ was that the couple would pretend they had invited another man into their bed to have a threesome.
Mrs Franks would take a lie detector test because Mr Franks suspected that she was cheating on him with the threesome lover.
Producers then introduced the idea that Mr Franks was not the father of his youngest son, two, so he could take a DNA test for a second episode. Mr Franks said that, in November last year, the show paid for a taxi to take him and his wife from their home in Middlesbrough to Manchester where they were put up overnight in a Jury’s Inn close to the Media City studios.
Entitled ‘You brought another man into our bedroom but are you a cheat?’, the show was broadcast in February.
‘The threesome was all fiction,’ Mr Franks said. ‘We were shocked, my wife was reluctant but she wanted to go on the show because she watches it and they said they would give us money.
‘We were told the results of the test, which revealed she had cheated, before she even took it. Both of us were given a script an hour before and told to rehearse it.
‘One of the crew was behind the camera signalling what to do and how to react. They told me that I had to look shocked and upset or walk off the stage – otherwise they
would have to film it all again. They told me to throw the ring at her but I didn’t want to hurt her so I just threw it at the sofa.
‘I did what they said and Jeremy said “I suppose you want a DNA test on your youngest child now don’t you?” The researcher was stood behind the camera nodding, urging me to say yes, so I did.’ The DNA test was filmed on the same day, but broadcast during a second show. The couple were taken to change their clothes and have their hair cut to make it appear the faked follow-up had been filmed at a different time. They were paid £500 cash which was left in an envelope in their dressing room. ‘ ITV were very clever at hiding stuff,’ he added. ‘They told us to bring our tablets and phones and when we got to the studio they wanted us to go on Messenger and delete all our contact with them in front of them, so there was no record. My wife was reluctant but they said we wouldn’t get paid and would end up stranded in Manchester if we didn’t do it.’
The DNA test revealed Mr Franks was the father, but within days researchers were pestering them to go back on. This time they wanted Mr Franks to do a lie detector test to prove whether or not he had been unfaithful as well.
‘We said to them “No, we’ve had enough” but they just kept calling,’ he said. ‘They must have rung us up 20 or 30 times, they rang my wife at work but wouldn’t stop badgering us.
‘In the end we agreed to go back on – of course it came back that I’d been cheating, when I hadn’t.
‘We were told to let Jeremy do the talking and just agree with him. He is so arrogant, taking the Mickey out of the guests.’
The couple were paid £300 in cash for the second show.
An ITV spokesman said: ‘With regards to the allegations around past participants or show sources, we do not recognise that characterisation of the show.’