TRAGIC Jeremy Kyle Show guest Steven Dymond was so keen to appear on the show that he bombarded producers with calls ‘300 times’, an audience member claims.
The 63-year-old, who was found dead from a suspected suicide days after failing the show’s famous lie detector test, made the confession to the audience during filming.
Aiden Dugdale, 20, who was at the taping of the show on the fateful day Steven Dymond appeared, told The Sun Online: “He explained to us in the audience that he’d tried to come on the show before.
“He said he’d called about 300 times. Jeremy Kyle even joked about it, saying: ‘Does anyone at ITV ever answer the phones?’
- Jeremy Kyle said he was ‘utterly devastated’ as his show was axed after 14 years
- It was scrapped permanently after guest Steve Dymond died from an overdose
- His wife shockingly claimed he was a ‘paedo scared of being exposed’
- His son Carl said he was left distraught after Kyle “ripped into him”
- Other guests revealed how the show had “ruined” their lives
- MPS are to launch a probe into reality TV following a string of tragic deaths
Steve, from Gosport in Hampshire, finally went on the show desperate to prove his innocence after he was accused of being unfaithful by girlfriend Jane Callaghan, 48.
However, the dad-of-one failed a lie detector test and the couple split after the episode was recorded.
His body was found at his Portsmouth bedsit last week, ten days after he filmed the episode, and the show was yesterday scrapped.
Last night host Jeremy Kyle, 53, broke his silence following his show’s axing, telling The Sun: “Myself and the production team are all utterly devastated.”
The daytime ratings hit programme will now be part of a major review of reality TV announced by MPs.
Insiders believe ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall was looking for an excuse to kill it off.
One ITV source explained: “Carolyn and some of the other senior executives always thought the Kyle show was a thorn in the side of daytime — the format was very negative and in this day and age had become a bit toxic.
“It wasn’t fluffy and wholesome like the other shows but it was hugely popular — the best rated programme across the whole day until tea time.
“It would have been extremely brave to axe it out of nowhere, so a controversy gave them a reason to do it.”
In a statement, Dame Carolyn said: “Given the gravity of recent events we have decided to end production of The Jeremy Kyle Show.
“The Jeremy Kyle Show has had a loyal audience and has been made by a dedicated production team for 14 years, but now is the right time for the show to end.
“Everyone at ITV’s thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Steve Dymond.”
Jeremy Kyle told The Sun: “Myself and the production team I have worked with for the last 14 years are all utterly devastated by the recent events. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Steve’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.”
Meanwhile last night The Sun revealed how Steve’s estranged wife Dianne Healing has labelled him a “prolific liar” and a “paedophile”.
She said she only found out he had died from media coverage despite still being legally married to him — and she celebrated his death on social media.
They married in 2004 after meeting when he drove past her and asked her for a date. But they split up four months later after he was arrested over allegations he was a paedophile.
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Dianne, 48, claims Steve Dymond, who was questioned by police but not charged with any offence, may have “preyed” on victims.
She said: “He killed himself because he was frightened of the truth coming out — the truth that he sexually molested a child.
“He’s being treated as a martyr but I want people to know what he was really like. He’s actually a paedophile.
“Seeing all the coverage has brought back the trauma. Seeing how people feel sorry for him, it’s soul-destroying.
“It was disgusting and vile what he did and he was a prolific liar. The people feeling sympathy have no idea what he was like.
“There was lie after lie after lie.
“I think he took advantage of me because he was 15 years older than me when I met him.”
YOU'RE NOT ALONE
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus, , 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, , 116 123
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