Furious Jeremy Kyle fans accuse ITV bosses of hypocrisy after failing to axe Love Island over Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon deaths
One show has been suspended indefinitely, while the other returns for a 5th series
FURIOUS fans of The Jeremy Kyle Show have accused ITV bosses of hypocrisy after failing to axe Love Island following the deaths of Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon.
Kyle's programme has been taken off air indefinitely after guest Steve Dymond, 63, died of a drug overdose days after failing a love-cheat lie detector test.
Tragically, South Central Ambulance officials confirmed Stevehad been dead for "a number of days" before his body was found at a Portsmouth flat on May 9.
Since news of Steve's death emerged, ITV pulled the episode of the Jeremy Kyle show and has halted filming and pre-production on future episodes while a review is held.
Today a leaked email revealed the decision to suspend the show was to "protect its future".
Now viewers fear the daytime show will never return after all previous episodes were deleted from ITV Hub.
It has led to renewed calls for Love Island to be culled after the recent deaths of two former contestants.
One fan fumed: "Can someone at @ITV please explain why there’s talk of pulling the Jeremy Kyle Show for good when someone has died, but you’re still adamant about Love Island starting in a few weeks.
"I seem to remember guests from that show have died recently too...? Thanks."
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Another added: "So Jeremy Kyle gets cancelled due to the possible effect it had resulting in a participants death, yet Love Island has had two participants take their own life in a far shorter period of time? If you’re gonna pretend you care about mental health ITV at least be consistent."
A third said: "Right everybody's saying people the Jeremy Kyle show should be suspended indefinitely because someone committed suicide I really feel for the family but people from Love Island have committed suicide too shouldn't that be suspended indefinitely?"
Another commented: "@ITV cancelling Jeremy Kyle because somebody killed selves seems a bit odd when you consider @LoveIsland is still going."
Someone else added: "Fully understand why the Jeremy Kyle Show has been cancelled, however #LoveIsland comes back on air soon after 2 deaths in just 4 seasons.
"Both shows are on ITV but it seems they’re treated differently, probably as one makes far more cash for the station than the other."
A fan judged: "Jeremy Kyle is banned for good by the looks of it.
"I can't say I disagree with it - but if you're going to ban JK because someone killed themselves due to the exploitative nature of the show and the lack of support afterwards, then why are we not banning Love Island?!"
Love Island star Mike, 26, was found hanged in a North London park in March.
In June last year, Sophie, from series two, hanged herself after taking a lethal cocktail of alcohol and cocaine.
The 32-year-old was battling depression.
Mike's inquest is scheduled for May 29 at the HM Coroner’s Court in Barnet, which falls just four days before the ITV2 show kicks off series five.
MOST READ IN TV & SHOWBIZ
In a letter to The Sun, Love Island's creative director Richard Cowles said therapy would now be available to “all Islanders and not only those that reach out to us.”
Love Island first launched in 2005 before being remade in 2015.
The Jeremy Kyle Show, which has been running for 14 years, is ITV’s top-rated daytime programme.
Host Jeremy is understood to be angry that bosses have hauled the show off air so swiftly.
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