Kyle denies humiliating TV guest who died days later

Unaired clip shows host telling Steve Dymond, grow a pair’

- HOLLY EVANS

Tabloid television host Jeremy Kyle defended his confrontational presentation style yesterday at an inquest into the death of a guest, saying the man “needed to tell the truth”.

Steve Dymond is believed to have taken his own life seven days after appearing on ITV’s The Jeremy Kyle Show where he failed a lie detector test over accusations he had cheated on his exfiancee, Jane Callaghan.

In clips of the episode shown to Winchester Coroners’ Court, Mr Kyle was seen telling the 63-year-old: “Be a man, grow a pair of balls and tell her the goddamn truth.”

After the test results were revealed, audience members were heard booing Dymond while his partner ran off in tears towards a backstage area where the confrontation continued.

A further clip showed Mr Kyle saying: “The studio thought you were telling the truth, I wouldn’t trust you with a chocolate button, mate.”

Throughout the interaction, Dymond could be heard denying the accusations and tearfully claiming: “I swear to God, I am being so straight, I have never been more straight.”

In text messages sent to Ms Callaghan days after appearing on the show in May 2019, Dymond said: “I hope the Jeremy Kyle Show is so happy now about what they have done to me.”

The message added: “I did lie about my past, but I never cheated… never, never, never did I cheat on you.”

Maya Sikand KC, representing Dymond’s family, asked the presenter what he made of the assertion the show had been responsible for his death.