Jeremy Kyle ‘could return to television next year’ with new programme on ITV Staff at ITV are reportedly working on a new show for the presenter to front

Jeremy Kyle is set to return to the small screen next year after his show was cancelled in May following the death of a contestant, it has been reported.

The presenter has been absent from television for months since ITV bosses axed The Jeremy Kyle Show after show participant Steve Dymond took his own life.

According to reports, staff at ITV have been tasked with coming up with a new format for a show to be fronted by Kyle early next year.

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New programme

The broadcaster is “very keen” to bring him back and staff are “working hard” to find a format, a source told The Sun on Sunday.

“His team have told them they are open to all ideas,” they added. “As you would expect, chat show formats are being considered, but others are too.

“And it is not a given that his return will be to daytime TV.

“We are expecting to have initial meetings about what they come up with in September, with the aim of then having Jeremy back on TV early next year.”

A subsequent inquiry into reality TV launched by MPs heard from a number of ITV executives but Kyle himself refused to attend.

Ofcom has also proposed new rules to ensure that people who take part in television and radio shows are properly looked after by broadcasters.

Honey Langcaster-James, a psychologist and founder of On Set Welfare, a company that offers TV productions psychological risk assessments and on set support, said any new programme would need to carefully consider the needs of participants.

She told i: “These are challenging times for the entertainment industry as our understanding of mental health and the psychological welfare of TV contributors continues to grow.

“There are specific challenges in this modern world of reality TV, online press and social media and all productions need to be carefully thought-through and risk assessed, not only for physical health and safety, but for psychological and emotional health and safety too.”

Risk assessment

Ms Langcaster-James added it was important the format of any TV production was properly reviewed and analysed in order to “understand the likely psychological impact on contributors before, during and after filming”.

“Such a format review should ideally be conducted by an experienced and multi-disciplinary team of professionals who are qualified in the most applicable areas relevant to media psychology,” she said.

“The format review should then result in the development of an appropriate risk assessment and psychological welfare care plan.

“TV productions differ widely in the demands that they make of their contributors.

“Therefore any psychological welfare service that is put in place needs to reflect the unique stressors that are inherent in that particular format and also factor in any particular vulnerabilities the contributors to the show might have.”

Julian Bellamy, head of ITV studios, has previously stated any new programmes featuring Kyle would “not be conflict resolution shows”.

ITV declined to comment.