Jeremy Kyle's TV shows linked to two more suicides, late guests' father calls it a disgrace
After 15 successful seasons, ITV bosses canceled 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' and now two more suicides have been linked to the very controversial and "cruel" show and host. 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' ran for about 13 years and aired its last episode on May 10, 2019.
The Mirror reported that 36-year-old Erica Pawson overdosed just 15 days after her husband was encouraged to end their marriage on 'Britain's Worst Husband', a reality show that Kyle hosted, apart from the ITV show. He appeared on the show in 2005, where wives nominate husbands to get on the show to prove that they aren't the worst. The appearance cost her the marriage.
Paul, her husband, ended their 18-year-old relationship and walked out on her and their daughter after taking his advice. He told The Sun, "I think Kyle thrives on destroying people's lives. As far as I'm concerned, he destroyed mine and my daughter's life. He's very aggressive to people he doesn't know, he shouldn't be like that. He's very full on and in your face," he said, adding, "He told me to leave Erica so I shook his hand and promised to leave the family home, which I did. At the end of the day, he ruined my wife's life. She killed herself."
Another guest, former boxer 31-year-old Paul McCarthy, also committed suicide just three months after appearing on the show. He was offered a stint in rehab to help his alcohol addiction in 2014 by 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' but was kicked out after he was reportedly offensive to the staff. His father, 62-year-old Kevin McCarthy, called the show "a disgrace" and said that "the coroner at Paul’s inquest used the words bear-baiting in connection with the experience." His mother, 61-year-old Carol, also said, "He might have been violent or destructive but wasn't it wrong to just let him go? 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' never once helped us after his rehab was cut short. If they had done what they said they would do and given him aftercare it would have been a different story," she told The Mirror.
After a third death was linked to the show over the week, that of guest 63-year-old Steve Dymond, the show was shut down. Steve failed the lie detector test on the show that was supposed to prove that he hadn't been unfaithful to his girlfriend Jane Callaghan. The pair split up. However, his girlfriend has defended the show. "I got three personal photos and three cards saying how much he loved me, how he has never loved anyone as much as me, how he's sorry and couldn't live without me," she said referring to the three notes he left her. "Nothing was mentioned about 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' in the notes — I can't believe they've canceled it before there's even been an inquest," she said.
Stacey Talley, a 30-year-old woman, who is another of Kyle's guests, also said that she had actually told ITV producers that she was "going to do something bad" when her husband was told by the host to dump her when she failed one of the famous lie detector tests. She alleged that she had attempted suicide by consuming 48 paracetamol tablets in May last year. "I said I wasn’t going to be here after today and they just shoved me into a taxi and told me to look after myself," she told The Mirror.
Another guest, Jamie Adams claimed he was told to hide the details of his suicide attempts by the show's mental health team. "They are playing with people’s lives who are vulnerable as it is," he said.
Kyle has also issued a statement after Steve's death, saying, "Myself and the production team I have worked with for the last 14 years are all utterly devastated by the recent events," he said in a statement."Our thoughts and sympathies are with Steve's family and friends at this incredibly sad time," he added.