Why The Jeremy Kyle Show Had To Go

With the exception of some rather unpopular politicians, as a general rule people don’t like to see other people lose their jobs. We tend to be a kindly race. Another massive exception to this might be Jeremy Kyle.

Jeremy Kyle show

If you are British you are almost certainly familiar with Kyle and his show. He has guests from the general public appear and attempts to help solve their disputes. You can think of it as Britain’s answer to Jerry Springer, complete with over the top scuffles and a host with a host of catchphrases such as “sexual contact” and “well, well, well, you were lying” oh and he also seems to have an enduring grudge with Facebook.

A reformed character

Jezza often comes across as very didactic and preachy but he is far from a saint. It is his air of superiority that has made him so widely loathed but he is not whiter than white. By his own admission, he used to have a gambling addiction, which you would think might humble him and make him sympathetic to the plight of adults. Not so much. In fact, he seemed to rip to shreds anyone that didn’t adhere to his idealistic way of seeing the world.

Why is Jeremy Kyle collecting his P45?

The very nature of his show means that he has swathes of people appear with various ailments. Often these can be addictions to drugs or alcohol. It could be people dealing with emotional issues too. Often he had people on the show struggling with jealousy and mental health issues. While the show did seem to offer support to the guests it also seemed to parade them in front of the public in a way that you could claim left them open for ridicule.

Often these were people from poor, working-class backgrounds so they were commonly unkempt, overweight, had poor oral hygiene. Basically, they were easy targets for ridicule. This coupled with another facet of the show meant it always trod a line where someone might get really hurt and when this did happen the show got cancelled. What was this other feature?

Well, well, well

One of the most intriguing features of the show was its use of paternity tests and lie detectors. These were used to find out which potential fathers children belonged to. They were used to prove infidelity. They were used to find if people had stolen from their loved ones…you get the picture.

Stephen Dymond, a guest on the show failed a lie detector test that proved he was guilty of infidelity. Obviously, he was distraught at this result and consequently took his own life. It was this man’s suicide that ultimately led to the cancellation of the show after 14 years on the air.

Since then it has transpired that there are another two people who potentially took their lives following the show. There are two trains of thought here. The first is that the people that appear on the show do so through choice. Unless they have been living in a cave they know how the show works and that by going on it you offer yourself up for potential ridicule and potential heartache.

Of course, the show’s critics will point to the support the show offers the people that have been on it. The much-vaunted aftercare team, who Jeremy often asserts will give people the support they need are obviously not sufficient.

Is it just the Jeremey Kyle show ending lives?

Well no actually, several contestants from Love Island have taken their lives now. Many have pointed out cynically that because of the shows ratings and lucrative sponsorship deals the ITV refuses to take action despite the obvious detrimental effect the controversial but popular show has on its contestants.

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