The talk show was suspended
indefinitely by ITV following the death of a participant Steve Dymond, 63, a
week after a programme he featured on was filmed.
Jeremy Kyle has said he is
"utterly devastated" at the cancellation of his TV show following the
death of a guest.
The programme, which had
been a regular fixture in the TV schedule since 2005, has now ended for good
following calls for it to be cancelled from MPs and members of the public.
Mr Kyle told The Sun:
"Myself and the production team I worked with for the last 14 years are
all utterly devastated by the recent events. Our thoughts and sympathies are
with Steve's family at this incredibly sad time.
Following the cancellation
of the daytime show, MPs launched an inquiry into reality TV.
The Commons Digital,
Culture, Media and Sport Committee (DCMS) will consider production companies'
duty of care to participants taking part in reality shows and explore whether
enough support is offered both during and after filming.
ITV has also faced scrutiny
over its support for reality show talent following the deaths of former Love
Island contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.
DCMS committee chairman
Damian Collins said ITV "has made the right decision to permanently cancel
the Jeremy Kyle Show", but "that should not be the end of the
matter".
In a statement, he said:
"There needs to be an independent review of the duty of care TV companies
have to participants in reality TV shows and the DCMS select committee has
decided to hold an inquiry this summer into these issues.
"Programmes like The
Jeremy Kyle Show risk putting people who might be vulnerable on to a public
stage at a point in their lives when they are unable to foresee the consequences,
either for themselves or their families.
"This kind of TV
featuring members of the public attracts viewing figures in the millions but in
return for ratings, the broadcasters must demonstrate their duty of care to the
people whose personal lives are being exposed.
"With an increasing
demand for this type of programming, we'll be examining broadcasting regulation
in this area - is it fit for purpose?"
ITV chief executive Dame
Carolyn McCall announced on Wednesday morning that the show had been officially
cancelled "given the gravity of recent events".
She said in a statement:
"The Jeremy Kyle Show has had a loyal audience and has been made by a
dedicated production team for 14 years, but now is the right time for the show
to end.
"Everyone at ITV's
thoughts and sympathies are with the family and friends of Steve Dymond."
The broadcaster said it
will continue to work with Kyle on other projects, but it has not specified
what those will be.
Before the programme was
axed, Dame Carolyn had told ITV staff in an email that halting filming and
broadcasting of the show was "the best way we think we can protect the
show and the production team" from the reaction to Mr Dymond's death.
Mr Dymond's body was found
at an address in Grafton Street, Portsmouth, on May 9.
Hampshire Police said the
death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the
coroner.
On Tuesday, Culture
Secretary Jeremy Wright said it was a "deeply concerning case" as he
called for broadcasters and production companies to have "appropriate
levels of support in place".
Following the death of
Thalassitis earlier this year, ITV said its "duty of care is a continuous
and ongoing process for each (Love) Islander".
ITV added that a review had
led it to "extend our support processes to offer therapy to all Islanders
and not only those that reach out to us. And we will be delivering bespoke training
to all future Islanders to include social media and financial management".
The broadcaster said it
would also no longer be "reliant on the Islanders asking us for support
but for us to proactively check in with them on a regular basis".
The new series of Love
Island is expected to air on ITV2 next month.
ITV will announce what will
replace The Jeremy Kyle Show in the TV schedule in due course.
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