In 2019, ITV's The Jeremy Kyle Show ended following guest Steve Dymond’s death just days after he recorded an episode. He took his own life after failing a lie-detector test on the show to prove he wasn’t cheating on his fiancee – he was booed and jeered by the audience.
But in a new documentary – airing on Sunday 13 and Monday 14 March – ex-employees claim there was a culture of fear, and tactics to deliberately lead the guests into ratings-winning conflict.The Jeremy Kyle show was a ratings mega hit, running for 17 series and bringing in around 250 episodes a year before being cancelled.
Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter. Viewers were entertained by the guests who would come on with sensational stories, addiction stories, lurid affairs, or doubts over paternity.The action really kicked off when the other side would come on and tell their story.The results of DNA tests would be sensationally revealed in front of the studio audience, with the guests goaded to the point where the burly bouncers frequently had to step in and pull them apart. 'Big Steve' even became a mini celeb – as he helped defend Jeremy from his guests.
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