Jeremy Kyle Resurrection Hypocrisy

More than two years ago, ITV took the decision to axe the Jeremy Kyle show, to the great relief of all those who had hoped it would have happened rather earlier. This followed the apparent suicide of a participant who had failed a lie detector test to determine whether he had cheated on his partner. At the time, very few tears were shed at the departure from the screen of a genre which had made money by preying on the poor and vulnerable.

My own show on TalkRADIO, eh? Lucky, really

But now, if only to prove that no-one is beyond redemption, Kyle is become Lazarus, thanks to the advocacy of the Murdoch mafiosi. So it was that yesterday’s edition of the Super Soaraway Currant Bun proclaimed “Jeremy Kyle Exclusive … TV axe left me on anxiety pills … I Was Made Scapegoat Over Show Death”. As opposed to all those ordinary members of the public who have to actually work for a living.

So what’s his schtick? “He said last night it left him ‘completely devastated’, adding: ‘I just couldn’t bring myself to leave the house or even open the curtains … Kyle admits he thought stars complaining about their mental health struggles should ‘get a grip’ - until he found himself in similar turmoil … The axed presenter, 56, has told how he spiralled into depression after The Jeremy Kyle Show was binned following the death of a guest”.

Well, boo intercoursing hoo

There is more. “Jeremy … has broken his silence two-and-a-half years after his daytime show - where he confronted guests with problems - was cancelled”. And why might we b reading about this in the Murdoch Sun? “To mark his return to broadcasting, with a weekday drivetime show on talkRADIO”. That’s why. Pass the sick bag.

One hates to be a party pooper here, but Kyle, by his own admission, knew exactly what he was doing with that ITV show - playing ringmaster as the poor and vulnerable - often with their own mental health issues - were paraded as so many freak shows before the viewing public. One former ITV producer told the Observer’s Carole Cadwalladr that “if they truly screened for mental health issues, there would be no one on that show. Almost everyone who goes on it has some sort of issue”. And it got worse.

Former first responder Paul Dadge, one of those on the scene in the aftermath of the July 7, 2005 terror attacks in London, revealed “Once contacted by the Jeremy Kyle team to go on a special around inspirational people. During convo the producer asked 1) Was I on benefits, 2) Was I known to Social Srvcs and ‘I'm sorry to ask you this and I know it's personal’ 3) Have you ever attempted suicide? Wasn't for me!” Well, well.

But now, after the passage of what the Murdoch goons must have decided is an appropriate period of time, back comes Jeremy Kyle, duly rehabilitated, while at the same time claiming to have been made a scapegoat, a victim of that myth that is cancel culture. While not even bothering to stop and think about all those participants on his shows down the years who may have had rather more than anxiety issues after their appearance.

Jeremy Kyle was more than happy to be the front man for a show that was, more or less, bear baiting TV. If the Murdoch empire wants to give him a show on ratings noise floor occupant TalkRADIO, they are free to do so. But they should not even begin to pretend that Kyle merits victimhood status. Because he does not. Not now, not ever.

And was it worth a Sun front page? Desperate times, desperate measures. Sad, really.

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