An inquest into the death of Steve Dymond has been adjourned after the late Jeremy Kyle Show guest’s mother died.
shortly after appearing on the programme and failing a notoriously unreliable lie-detector to prove whether he had cheated on his partner.
Following his death, The Jeremy Kyle show was and the episode never aired.
An to be heard in Hampshire this week, but has now been pushed back, on ‘compassionate grounds’ after the coroner learnt of the death of Dymond’s mother.
Dymond’s brother and son will be attending her funeral today, the court heard, which would have clashed with the second day of the hearing.
The family have also sent a letter to the coroner asking whether more evidence would be introduced following the airing of Channel 4’s Death on Daytime documentary earlier this month.
At a brief hearing yesterday morning, coroner Jason Pegg said the bereavement would affect the family’s ability to engage during the four-day inquest.
He said: ‘I do not consider there are matters arising from the Channel 4 documentary that would in themselves be grounds for adjourning the inquest today. There is presently sufficient evidence available that allows me as the coroner to properly answer the four statutory questions – who was the deceased and how, when and where he came by his death.’
Channel 4 launched an investigation into the daytime show following Dymond’s death, with the two-part documentary.
The controversial documentary raised concerns from staff, including allegations that they were ‘treated like rats in a lab.’
Someone else who worked on The Jeremy Kyle Show said they would get calls ‘virtually every week’ from people threatening to kill themselves after appearing.
In response to the Channel 4 documentary, ITV issued a statement which 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.
‘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…’
During the un-aired episode, Kyle called Dymond a ‘serial liar’ and said he ‘would not trust him with a chocolate button’.Â
Dymond appeared on the show determined to prove he hadn’t cheated on his fiancé Jane Callaghan, however the lie detector test showed him to have failed.
The documentary also aired a gut-wrenching voice note from Dymond to Callaghan, which was sent days before he filmed the episode of Jeremy Kyle.
‘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.’
The date of the adjourned inquest has yet to be confirmed.
Jeremy Kyle show: Death on Daytime is available to watch on All4.
