'I will never forget him': Ex-lover of Jeremy Kyle guest found dead in Portsmouth flat pays emotional tribute following funeral

THE former fiancee of a man found dead days after appearing on the Jeremy Kyle show says she will never forget the impact he had on her life.
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The funeral for Steve Dymond, 63, took place at Kingston Cemetery in Portsmouth today, where 48-year-old Jane Callaghan and her family were able to say their final goodbyes.

Mr Dymond took a lie-detector test to convince fiancee Jane Callaghan he had not been unfaithful, but the pair split after he failed the test.

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The couple got engaged on Christmas Day in 2017 before Jane threw him out of their Gosport home in February this year – confronting Steve about cheating on her.

Undertakers standing by the casket of Steve Dymond. Picture: © Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo AgencyUndertakers standing by the casket of Steve Dymond. Picture: © Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency
Undertakers standing by the casket of Steve Dymond. Picture: © Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency

Following Mr Dymond’s death, the Jeremy Kyle Show has been pulled off the air indefinitely.

Just five people attended the Portsmouth funeral – Jane, her three daughters and her son-in-law.

The family was seen embracing and supporting one another throughout the funeral service, which was paid for by Portsmouth City Council.

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Pall-bearers carry the coffin of Jeremy Kyle guest Steve Dymond at his funeral in Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA WirePall-bearers carry the coffin of Jeremy Kyle guest Steve Dymond at his funeral in Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Pall-bearers carry the coffin of Jeremy Kyle guest Steve Dymond at his funeral in Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
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Jane says it was an emotional goodbye, but had hoped a few more people would turn up.

‘Today has been a very sad day,’ she said.

‘It was only the five of us who turned up and that’s pretty upsetting, because he wasn’t so bad that it warranted nobody turning up to say goodbye.

‘We all gave him a single rose to be buried with – I played one of my songs to him and talked to him before we left.’

Undertakers carry the casket with Steve Dymond's body ahead of his private funeral at Kingston Cemetery in Portsmouth.
Picture: Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo AgencyUndertakers carry the casket with Steve Dymond's body ahead of his private funeral at Kingston Cemetery in Portsmouth.
Picture: Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency
Undertakers carry the casket with Steve Dymond's body ahead of his private funeral at Kingston Cemetery in Portsmouth. Picture: Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency

An inquest held last month heard that the machinery operator was found in a rented room in Grafton Street, Portsmouth, by his landlady Michelle Thaxter.

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This afternoon, the family will toast to Mr Dymond’s life, commemorating him with a few glasses of whisky, his tipple of choice.

For Jane, the funeral marks a chance for her to move on with her life – but she says that she will never forget Steve, or the impact he her.

She said: ‘We’re toasting his life together and having a drink of whisky together, which was his favourite drink.

‘After it’s all settled down I am going to move on – but I will never forget Steve.’

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