Jeremy Kyle guest told researcher: ‘I wish I was dead’
A GUEST of the Jeremy Kyle Show suspected of killing himself told a researcher “I wish I was dead” two hours before he was put in a taxi after his appearance, an inquest heard.
Steve Dymond, 63, a construction worker, died a week after taking a liedetector test on the daytime ITV show, which has since been axed. He was found in his rented room in Portsmouth on May 9 after splitting from his on-off fiancée Jane Callaghan.
The show’s recording took place on May 2 but was never aired.
At a pre-inquest review yesterday at Portsmouth Coroner’s Court, it emerged that Kyle could be called to give evidence in the full hearing, scheduled to take place in April.
Lincoln Brookes, assistant coroner, was told about some of the “broad themes” Dymond’s family would be raising when the inquest is under way.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC said they had requested internal ITV interview notes from Kyle, the assistant producer, a re- searcher and the aftercare and polygraph teams. They have also asked for the unedited recording of the show, which Simon Antrobus, ITV’S barrister, agreed to provide, and they have drawn up a list of potential witnesses.
Ms Gallagher said Dymond was “ex- ceptionally vulnerable” and had stopped taking antidepressants in order to take the show’s polygraph test.
She said: “After his cruel shaming he did not get the appropriate support.” Ms Gallagher said the amount of time between the suggestion that Dymond would appear on the show and the filming was a “very short” 72-hour period.
She said: “For a decision so potentially life-changing, there is no equivalent. There is no cooling off. You are jumped on very quickly.”
Ms Gallagher said that following the recording, Dymond was “put in a homeward-bound taxi within two hours of telling a researcher that he was really upset and that ‘life was nothing without Jane’ and said ‘I wish I was dead’, or words to that effect”.
She claimed the family had seen “no evidence” that Dymond was given welfare checks by any qualified mental health staff. “We presume this was left to a medically unqualified researcher.”
Dymond’s death came amid growing scrutiny over the duty of care reality TV shows have to participants.
Mr Antrobus told the inquest that the aftercare team had seen Dymond.
At the opening of the inquest in May, Det Sgt Marcus Mills, of Hampshire Police, said Dymond’s death was a suspected suicide.
A further inquest review is due to take place on Nov 21, while the full inquest is scheduled to begin on April 27 2020, and last four days.
ITV were unable to comment.