Jeremy Kyle was once the undisputed king of British daytime television. His eponymous ITV show ran for 14 years, churning out over 3,000 episodes of explosive confrontations. However, everything changed in May 2019 when the show was abruptly cancelled following the suicide of guest Steve Dymond. Since then, Jeremy has faced a mental health crisis, a career collapse, and a dramatic health scare before finally being exonerated by a coroner’s inquest .
Now 60, Kyle has slowly rebuilt his life. He has returned to broadcasting on TalkTV and is reportedly set to media train Reform UK’s candidates. As a result, his journey from broadcasting royalty to pariah and back again is one of the most dramatic falls and rises in British television history .
What Was The Jeremy Kyle Show?
Starting in 2005, The Jeremy Kyle Show became one of ITV’s most popular yet controversial daytime programmes. The show featured guests attempting to solve disputes involving issues like infidelity, addiction, access to children, and family feuds .
Kyle adopted a confrontational style, often berating participants in front of a live audience. He would frequently call guests “liars” and “scroungers,” and the show heavily relied on lie detector tests to determine the “truth.” In 2007, a judge famously described the programme as “human bear-baiting which goes under the guise of entertainment” .
Like the Radford family, Kyle became a household name, but his fame was built on controversy and confrontation.
The Tragic Death of Steve Dymond
In May 2019, 63-year-old Steve Dymond appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show to prove his fidelity to his fiancée, Jane Callaghan. He took a lie detector test, which indicated he had been unfaithful. The couple split after the show .
A week after filming, Dymond was found dead at his home in Portsmouth, having taken an overdose of morphine prescribed for his arthritis. His son, Carl Woolley, has always maintained that the show’s treatment of his father directly contributed to his death .
Clips of the unaired episode, shown during the subsequent inquest, revealed that Kyle had been particularly harsh, telling Dymond to “be a man and grow a pair of balls” and calling him a “serial liar.” He also told the grieving pensioner that he “wouldn’t trust him with a chocolate button” .
The Cancellation of The Jeremy Kyle Show
Following Dymond’s death, ITV initially suspended the series. On May 15, 2019, The Jeremy Kyle Show was permanently axed after 14 years. ITV CEO Carolyn McCall stated: “Given the gravity of recent events we have decided to end production” .
Kyle, who had hosted the show for its entire run, was reportedly “devastated” and “distraught.” ITV boss Kevin Lygo said: “For him suddenly overnight to have lost the job he has been lorded over for 15 years, was a big jolt” .
However, due to a “watertight” contract, Kyle is said to have secured a payout of over £1 million from ITV following his sudden dismissal .
The Inquest and ‘Exoneration’
For over five years, Kyle lived under the shadow of the tragedy. A full inquest began in September 2024, where Dymond’s son attempted to blame the presenter, accusing him of being a “puppeteer” who whipped the crowd into a frenzy .
However, despite finding that Dymond had been left “broken” and “distraught,” the coroner ultimately ruled there was no “causal link” between the TV show and his suicide. The coroner noted that Dymond had a history of mental illness and previous suicide attempts, and that his distress was probably exacerbated by the breakdown of his relationship, not just the show .
Kyle was officially “exonerated.” A statement issued on his behalf said: “He is now exonerated of that ill-informed accusation and his name has finally been cleared” .
Like Geordie Shore, the show was a product of its era, and Kyle has argued that a similar programme could never be made today.
Health Scare: Cancer and Depression
The years following the cancellation took a significant physical toll on Kyle. He has previously revealed that he had a health scare where he found a lump, though he confirmed it was benign. He also suffered from depression during his time in the wilderness, feeling “hunted” and “scapegoated” .
During his first sit-down interview since the inquest, with Kate Garraway, the 60-year-old admitted that the stress of the situation had a major impact on his wellbeing. “It has taken a huge toll on him and his family,” his representatives confirmed .
Jeremy Kyle Net Worth
Jeremy Kyle net worth is estimated at approximately $5 million (£4 million). While he lost his flagship income stream in 2019, his career did not completely stop. He secured a seven-figure payoff from ITV due to his contract, which reportedly cushioned the financial blow .
In the years following his departure from ITV, he returned to radio, his original medium, before signing a deal with TalkTV. His wealth also includes assets from his long tenure at the top of daytime TV .
Like Sir Terry Wogan, Jeremy has successfully navigated a career comeback after a period of significant personal difficulty.
Jeremy Kyle Now: TalkTV and Politics
Kyle has made a significant comeback. He currently hosts a show on TalkTV, covering news and current affairs. He now broadcasts to a smaller but dedicated audience, where his confrontational style has been repurposed for political commentary .
In April 2026, he made headlines for a furious on-air rant aimed at Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He criticised the government’s handling of anti-semitism and accused political leaders of “pandering to a vote” .
He has also teased the release of a tell-all memoir. In January 2025, he wrote on Instagram: “Just completed the first few paragraphs of my memoir and even I can’t believe what’s going to be revealed” .
The Legacy of The Jeremy Kyle Show
The impact of the show continues to ripple through British culture. In 2026, Channel 5 aired a thriller called Number One Fan. The drama centred on a fictional TV host whose career was destroyed after a guest died by suicide following his show. The parallels to the Kyle situation were so striking that critics found it “uncomfortable viewing” .
Kyle himself has acknowledged that the era of such confrontational television is over. “You can’t say boo to a goose now, can you? So understandably shows like that have gone by the by,” he told Kate Garraway.
Conclusion
Jeremy Kyle’s life has been a rollercoaster of extreme highs and devastating lows. From ruling the daytime TV schedules to being publicly vilified, he has weathered a storm that would have broken most people.
While the ghost of Steve Dymond will always shadow his legacy, the official legal verdict has cleared his name. As he enters his seventh decade, Jeremy Kyle has a new career in political broadcasting, a tell-all memoir on the horizon, and a chance to define what comes next.
FAQs
Why was The Jeremy Kyle Show cancelled?
It was cancelled permanently in May 2019 after guest Steve Dymond died by suicide a week after filming an episode.
What happened to Jeremy Kyle?
He retreated from the spotlight, suffered a mental health crisis, and experienced a cancer scare. He has since returned to broadcasting on TalkTV.
Was Jeremy Kyle found responsible for Steve Dymond’s death?
No. A coroner ruled in September 2024 that there was no direct causal link between Dymond’s appearance on the show and his suicide, exonerating Kyle.
What is Jeremy Kyle net worth?
His net worth is estimated at approximately $5 million (£4 million), bolstered by a reported seven-figure payoff from ITV after the show was axed.
What is Jeremy Kyle doing now in 2026?
He hosts a show on TalkTV, focusing on news and current affairs, and has teased the release of a tell-all memoir.
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