Tragic Jeremy Kyle guest, 63, ‘called ITV 300 times trying to get on show’

An audience member of the axed Jeremy Kyle Show has claimed Steve Dymond had been so desperate to appear that he had called its producers up to ‘300 times’.

The 63-year-old is said to have made the confession to an audience member during filming for the popular ITV daytime show.

Steve was found dead at his bedsit in Portsmouth from a suspected suicide, just days after taking the show’s famous lie detector test.

Now, Aiden Dugdale, who was at the filming of the show has said that he explained to the audience that it wasn’t the first time he had tried to get on the famous stage.

Steve Dymond (right) had appeared on the Jeremy Kyle show to do a lie detector test after being accused of cheating on his girlfriend Jane (pair pictured together, left)

Jeremy is said to have joked about Steve’s persistence to come on the show and said ‘Does ITV ever answer the phone?’

Speaking to The Sun, the 20-year-old said: ‘He said he’d called about 300 times. Jeremy even joked about it, saying: ‘Does anyone at ITV ever answer the phones?’

Steve, who was originally from Hampshire, had appeared on the show in order to prove his innocence after he had been accused of being unfaithful to his girlfriend Jane Callaghan, 48.

The father-of-one failed a lie detector test- resulting in the couple splitting up after the filming of the show.

The show was scrapped yesterday, and host Jeremy today said that he had been left ‘absolutely devastated’.

‘Our thoughts and sympathies are with Steve’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time’, he said.

This is while insiders have said that bosses at ITV had been looking for an excuse to get rid of the show, which had sat in a line up which included Good Morning Britain and This Morning.

One ITV source told The Sun: ‘Carolyn and some of the other senior executives always thought the Kyle show was a thorn in the side of daytime — the format was very negative and in this day and age had become a bit toxic.

It comes as Steve’s ex-wide Dianne (right) said Steve (left) had turned violent during their relationship 

‘It wasn’t fluffy and wholesome like the other shows but it was hugely popular — the best rated programme across the whole day until tea time.

‘It would have been extremely brave to axe it out of nowhere, so a controversy gave them a reason to do it.’

In a statement, Dame Carolyn said: ‘Given the gravity of recent events we have decided to end production of The Jeremy Kyle Show.

‘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.’

Now, Steve’s estranged wife Dianne Healing, has also come out and spoke of the abuse she suffered while she had been married to Steve.

The couple wed in 2004 but split after he ‘picked her up and threw her across the room’.

She said: ‘I used to think he was a gentle giant when I first met him but it couldn’t have been further from the truth. On one occasion, I was standing on the doorstep by the patio door at home and I was challenging him on his behaviour.

‘He grabbed me around the shoulders and lifted me up as though I was as light as a feather and then hurled me onto the ground. From that moment on, I knew he wasn’t to be trusted and I left him.’

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article then you can call the Samaritans on 116 123, alternatively you can visit the website at by clicking here.