There is “no clear link” between the appearance of a guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show and his suicide, a coroner has concluded.
Steve Dymond, 63, was found dead at his home in Portsmouth, Hampshire, in May 2019, seven days after taking part in the show.
Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg said there was “an absence of reliable evidence” that the events on the show directly led to his death.
Mr Pegg also concluded there was “insufficient evidence” that Jeremy Kyle contributed to Mr Dymond’s adverse mental state.
A representative for Kyle said the conclusion had “exonerated” the presenter, allowing his name to be “cleared,” adding that the case “had taken a huge toll on him and his family”.
It would be ‘speculative’ to say Kyle caused Mr Dymond’s death
Coroner Jason Pegg said he had considered the evidence to determine whether “the comments and treatment by the presenter during [Mr Dymond’s] participation in the recording of the show contributed to his adverse mental state.”
He said there was “insufficient evidence” to be “satisfied that this was the direct cause of [Mr Dymond’s] distress.”
Mr Pegg told the Winchester inquest: “Having considered the evidence carefully there is an absence of reliable evidence that demonstrates that Steven Dymond’s appearance on the Jeremy Kyle Show probably caused or contributed to his death. To do so would be speculative.
“I am not satisfied that events on Jeremy Kyle Show gave rise to a clear link that caused or contributed to the death of Steven Dymond such that I should be recording this as a contributing factor.
“Steven Dymond had a history of a diagnosed personality disorder and mental illness which presented on a number of occasions before any appearance of the Jemery Kyle Show and resulted in Steve Dymond self-harming or displaying thoughts of suicide.”
Mr Pegg went on to say: “[Mr Dymond’s] decision to take his own life was made in the context of his mental distress that was probably exacerbated by his belief that a significant relationship had now irretrievably broken down following his participation on a television programme where it had been suggested that the deceased had lied to his partner.”
‘A huge toll’ on Kyle and his family
The statement on behalf of Kyle read: “His Majesty’s Coroner has today clearly and unequivocally found that Jeremy Kyle did not in any way cause or contribute to the tragic suicide of Steve Dymond. He is now exonerated of that ill-informed accusation and his name has finally been cleared.
“Out of respect for the family of Mr Dymond and the judicial process, Jeremy has always maintained that it would be inappropriate to discuss details whilst the legal inquest was ongoing and he has remained steadfastly silent in the face of lies, false accusations and unfair criticism over the last 5 1/2 years.
“This has taken a huge toll on him and his family and he would like to thank everyone who has truly supported him through these tough times.”
A coroner found that Mr Dymond had died of a combination of a morphine overdose and a heart condition.
He had taken a lie detector test for the ITV programme after being accused of cheating on his ex-fiancee Jane Callaghan. Clips from the unaired show were played during the Winchester inquest.
The inquest was told that Mr Dymond had been “booed” by the audience at the reveal of the test results, and told a researcher after filming had finished: “I wish I was dead.”
Mr Dymond was later described to the court as being left “broken” and “distraught” after appearing on the show.
Giving evidence earlier in the week, presenter Jeremy Kyle defended both his chat show and his presenting style, telling the court he neither “humiliated” or “belittled” Mr Dymond, insisting he had “de-escalated” the situation and “calmed it down”.
Clips played in court including Mr Kyle telling Mr Dymond: “Be a man, grow a pair of balls and tell her the goddam truth.”
Another featured the 59-year-old presenter asking: “Has anyone got a shovel?” as Mr Dymond attempted to explain why he had been messaging another woman.
A further clip showed Kyle saying: “The studio thought you were telling the truth, I wouldn’t trust you with a chocolate button, mate.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK