Jeremy Kyle asked to attend reality TV inquiry

Jeremy Kyle has been asked to attend the parliamentary inquiry into reality TV.

The digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) committee inquiry was launched last month, within hours of ITV announcing that it had axed The Jeremy Kyle Show following the death of a participant.

DCMS committee chairman Damian Collins MP said: "We're hoping that Jeremy Kyle will take this opportunity to come and answer questions about measures taken to prepare and support contestants.

:: Shows like Jeremy Kyle are 'exploitation in purest form'

"As someone who was at the centre of this long-running show, we believe that his perspective on reality TV will be of particular value to our inquiry."

Advertisement

Kyle has been given until 13 June to respond.

The committee said senior executives from ITV would be the first to give evidence.

More from Jeremy Kyle

MPs will question ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall, ITV chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette, and director of content compliance Chris Wissun on 25 June.

A range of former participants and programme makers will also be invited to give evidence over the coming months.

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

The Jeremy Kyle Show was permanently cancelled after 14 years following the death of Steve Dymond, 63, whose body was found at his home in Portsmouth on 9 May, shortly after filming for the programme.

He had reportedly gone on the show to take a lie detector test to prove he had not been cheating on his on-off fiancee Jane Callaghan – but failed the test.