ITV failed to protect Jeremy Kyle guests from 'bullying methodology', MPs say

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/oct/31/mps-lambast-itv-over-treatment-of-jeremy-kyle-show-participants

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ITV committed a “corporate failure of responsibility” over its treatment of participants on The Jeremy Kyle Show, according to MPs who were leaked unaired behind-the-scenes footage of the programme, putting extra pressure on the broadcaster’s executives.

They said Kyle used a “bullying methodology” and “abusive language” to provoke participants on his cancelled talk show, with the host’s swearing sometimes edited out before broadcast to give a misleading impression to audiences.

The show’s in-house director of aftercare was also accused of a “complete abdication of the duty of care” by allowing the crew to continue filming a “highly agitated and distressed” individual with severe mental health and addiction issues backstage, rather than intervening to help the person after they had stormed off the programme.

The assessment of the footage provided by a former member of the programme’s crew was carried out by a clinical psychologist and media studies professor employed as expert witnesses for the digital, culture, media and sport select committee.

“It is clear that once the cameras started rolling on The Jeremy Kyle Show there was no safe space for anyone in a highly distressed state, verified by the behind-the-scenes footage passed to the committee by a whistleblower,” said the committee chair, Damian Collins.

“We’ve seen one contributor who was extremely upset take refuge backstage only to have a camera thrust in his face to capture him holding his head in his hands. We’ve also seen how Jeremy Kyle would use provocative and sometimes abusive language towards participants in the show, and that this could be edited out of the broadcasted show.”

Among other issues, the programme’s head of aftercare, Graham Stanier, is found to have been compromised by his joint role – tasked with making entertaining television and looking after participants, blurring the line between presenter and social worker.

The expert advisers concluded that one element of leaked footage, where a man was punching a wall in a small room after being followed off stage by Kyle, showed that Stanier was reluctant to intervene to calm the situation down.

“From a clinical perspective this is evidence of a complete abdication of the duty of care in this particular example,” the analysis concluded.

The advisers to the parliamentary committee also highlight concerns about the use of inaccurate lie detectors on the programme, citing an example where a female participant berated by Kyle for failing to believe a result “seems submissive, is struggling to speak, is unable to make eye contact, and is seeking to hide away as much as possible”.

“There is seemingly no safe space for her to go, which is of serious concern,” they add, suggesting “her welfare is being ignored in pursuing the interests of the show”.

In response to ITV’s suggestion that programme participants were aware of the nature of the programme, which ran for 14 years on weekday mornings, the analysts conclude this is a foil to avoid criticism, saying: “The staging, presenter’s use of power dynamics and language, serve to demean and humiliate both guests on stage, whilst using the audience as collaborators in this bullying methodology.”

ITV dropped The Jeremy Kyle Show earlier this year following the death of participant Steve Dymond. It has since introduced guidelines for all its reality TV shows including Love Island, while the media regulator Ofcom has substantially strengthened the broadcasting code following the cancellation of the programme – making it difficult for a similar show to be broadcast on British television in the future. Kyle remains on contract with ITV and the channel is considering new shows that he could take part in.

ITV said it could not comment on leaked footage it had not seen but made clear it would not be commissioning any more programmes similar to The Jeremy Kyle Show.