Jeremy Kyle says he was "frustrated" at "lying" Steve Dymond, inquest hears

Mr Dymond, of Portsmouth, is believed to have taken his own life seven days after filming for the Jeremy Kyle Show in May 2019.

The 63-year-old had taken a lie detector test for the programme after being accused of cheating on his partner, Jane Callaghan, from Gosport. Mr Dymond died at his home from a combination of morphine overdose and left ventricular hypertrophy in his heart.

Giving evidence at Winchester Coroner’s Court, Mr Kyle defended his presenting style, saying “yes, it was direct, but it was empathetic, it was honest”.

Speaking of Mr Dymond, Mr Kyle said: “I think that people who came on the show – I think the show had been on air for 15 years – and I believe the approach for conflict resolution was always the same. Yes, it was direct, but it was empathetic, it was honest.”

Referring to Mr Dymond’s case, Mr Kyle added: “I de-escalated, I calmed it down and I put them backstage. That’s what I always believed the show was about – conflict resolution.”

Asked whether he believed the way he interacted with Mr Dymond constituted “de-escalation”, Mr Kyle responded: “I think it was frustration that he wouldn’t stop lying.”

Mr Kyle told the inquest he was “not involved in the selection of guests” on his TV show.

The broadcaster said: “I want to make a point, I have in my 14-and-a-half years not been involved in the selection of guests. I was employed absolutely as the presenter.”

He explained he was sent a dossier the night before filming detailing the approximately 20 guests involved in a day’s recording. He said: “I had no involvement in the process of selection or anything like that.”

Mr Kyle said he believed that the way his shows were structured were “the right approach”.

He said: “I always believed the stories were a journey.”

Mr Kyle said you could “absolutely” see a journey in Mr Dymond’s case, including where he and his partner “face the truth”. He said: “It is conflict, it is resolution.”

He also denied encouraging the audience to take against 63-year-old Mr Dymond, telling the inquest: “Not at all – I asked them to give them a round of applause.”

The court was shown a number of clips from the show, including Mr Kyle telling Mr Dymond: “Be a man, grow a pair of balls and tell her the goddam truth.”

Another featured the presenter asking “Has anyone got a shovel?” as Mr Dymond attempted to explain why he had been messaging another woman.

Rachel Spearing, counsel to the inquest, asked Mr Kyle on Thursday: “Do you believe he was humiliated?”

The broadcaster replied: “I do not, and I have read over time apparently I called him a traitor – I didn’t – that he was cowering. I did what I always do and always did, it was what the show… as I understood the show is, sad as it might sound, it was a typical part.”

(Proceeding)

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