Jeremy Kyle guest Steve Dymond was overcome with emotion in his last voice note to his ex-fiancée Jane Callaghan before taking his own life in May 2019 aged 63.
Dymond killed himself days after appearing on the ITV show, in which he ‘failed’ a lie detector test to prove whether he had cheated on his partner.
Channel 4 documentary Jeremy Kyle: Death On Daytime aired the devastating final voice message he sent his ex-partner, in which he is heard falling apart.
‘I was being so truthful, I really was,’ he wept. ‘I really was. I was telling you the truth sweetheart, I was not lying a bit. Not one bit. I was not lying to you, I wouldn’t do that to you, I wouldn’t.
‘I wouldn’t cope with it. I would not lie to you again, I swear to God I would not lie to you again. I wouldn’t.’
Devastating text messages sent from Dymond to Jane four days before his death were also displayed on-screen.
‘I hope the Jeremy Kyle Show is happy now,’ one message read. ‘They are responsible for what happens now. I hope this makes good ratings for them.
‘I bet they this quiet. Never never never did I cheat on you. Never never. My final words.’
During the episode, which never made it to air, presenter Kyle called tragic guest Dymond a ‘serial liar’ and said he ‘would not trust him with a chocolate button’.
The ITV host also made the comment: ‘Has anyone got a shovel?’
The talk show host’s confrontational series was suspended indefinitely by ITV following Dymond’s death.
Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg laid out the remarks made by Kyle in his ruling stating that he would be an interested person in the inquest because ‘he may have caused or contributed’ to Dymond’s suicide.
At the time, he said: ‘I have had the opportunity to view The Jeremy Kyle Show episode featuring the deceased.
‘In that footage it is apparent that Jeremy Kyle was aware that the deceased had previously been unable to appear on The Jeremy Kyle Show having been diagnosed with depression, for which the deceased had been prescribed anti-depressant medication.
‘After the lie detector results, the deceased looked visibly upset.
‘Jeremy Kyle adopted an approach where he called the deceased a “serial liar”, that he “would not trust him with a chocolate button”; and made a comment: “Has anyone got a shovel?”’
Ahead of Channel 4’s Jeremy Kyle: Death On Daytime airing, ITV said in a statement that the ‘central purpose of the show was conflict resolution, and the show achieved many positive outcomes where people were able to resolve personal problems.’
A spokesperson said: ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show had extensive and detailed duty of care processes in place for contributors built up over 14 years. It had a dedicated guest welfare team of mental healthcare professionals with decades of experience in NHS mental healthcare, who were focused on the welfare of guests throughout the production process
‘Guests were supported by the programme and welfare teams prior to filming, throughout filming and after filming. Should they require ongoing help then appropriate solutions were found for them, which could include residential rehabilitation, counselling, anger management, family mediation, child access mediation or couples counselling.
‘Due to the gravity of events in May 2019, namely the death of a guest a few days after taking part in the show, ITV decided to end production of the show. It would not be appropriate for ITV to comment further on that in advance of the inquest to be held later this month.
‘All guests on the Jeremy Kyle Show were aware of the nature of the show and the presenter’s style before taking part in recording. Most of those who applied to appear watched the show themselves.
‘All guests gave their informed consent, in writing, to take part. Since 2018, ITV had taken significant steps in relation to its duty of care of participants. ITV issued detailed new guidance to all its producers on protecting participants in October 2019.’
Jeremy Kyle: Death On Daytime airs Sunday at Monday at 9pm on Channel 4.
