[4] The show's content centered on confrontations in which guests attempt to resolve personal conflicts, often related to family and romantic relationships, sex and addiction.

[5][6] It featured psychotherapist Graham Stanier,[7] who assisted the guests during and after the show's broadcast, along with the use of polygraphs, despite lack of scientific evidence supporting the use of the device as a lie detector.

[16][17] In the opinion of Anoosh Chakelian in the same publication, it curated "a morbidly chaotic picture of a British underclass – for those watching at home to scoff and sneer at – with the veneer of helping them".

[18] In a 2007 article for The Independent, the journalist Paul Vallely referred to Kyle treating his guests "with a false mateyness, calling them 'babe', 'sweet' or 'Davey boy'".

Common problems shown in episodes included uncertainty over the biological father of a baby, a family member committing petty theft, infidelity, and addiction to drugs.

[20] The producers have stated that backstage and after-show support and counselling were offered, guided by Graham Stanier, Kyle's in-show psychotherapist and director of aftercare.

[7] With other guests, polygraphs and DNA tests were frequently used to claim that an individual had been lying or telling the truth, or to reveal whether two people were biological relatives.

[21] Frequently, when friends or relatives of the show's guests entered the stage having heard backstage what had been said, strong language and fights would break out, with the former resulting in the sound being dipped.

[8] In the show a polygraph (referred to as a "lie detector") is applied to cases of theft and infidelity and the method is claimed to indicate whether someone is being deceptive.

"[9] Towards the end of the show, an on-screen disclaimer was shown before polygraph results were read out on the programme, stating, "The lie detector is designed to indicate whether someone is being deceptive.

[18] On 24 September 2007, a Manchester District Judge, Alan Berg, sentenced a man who headbutted his love rival while appearing on the show.

"[30] An appearance on Kyle's programme by a couple on the issue of alleged infidelity led to a man's assault of his female partner and criminal charges being made against him.

[32] At Peterborough Crown Court in July 2009, Judge Sean Enright jailed the man for two years after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

The judge said "there is plainly an element of cruelty and exploitation in what takes place" on Kyle's programme, and that the couple "must have both suffered considerable mortification and embarrassment".

A spokesperson for ITV stated that a psychotherapist found "no evidence of mental illness" in Jamie and claimed that "guests had to produce identification and were processed through security checks prior to admission"; however, Cadwalladr was present for the filming and disputes this.

Geoff said he had been locked in a flat three storeys up by his abusive girlfriend and had to escape by jumping from a balcony, sustaining significant injuries.

[36] It has also been alleged by a former guest on the show that due to Ofcom rules, they were forced to change out of a jumper with a branded logo into a tracksuit before being vilified by Kyle for their clothing choice.

Writing that the show was "built on repetition", Golby called it "exemplar of the British fighting style" and commented that "in less artful hands, the misery would become a miasma.

[20] In The Times, columnist Martin Samuel described the show as "a tragic, self-serving procession of freaks, misfits, sad sacks and hopelessly damaged human beings" and its guests as "a collection of angry, tearful and broken people, whose inexperience of talking through painful, contentious, volatile issues leaves them unprepared and inadequate for a confrontation of this nature" whilst noting that they "can only appear intellectually inferior to the host, too, with his sharp suit and well-rehearsed confidence".

"[42] Derek Draper, writing in The Guardian, said that Kyle "effectively projects himself as a strong father figure, setting boundaries and trying to teach responsibility and restraint" to those on his show.

[43] Johann Hari of The Independent called the show's morality "unconsciously but wonderfully progressive", as it attacked "Men who treat women badly.

[44] On 29 September 2007, Learndirect, the government-backed sponsors of The Jeremy Kyle Show, cancelled their £500,000 a year deal over concerns about its content following a letter of protest from Welsh Member of Parliament David Davies.

[46] The former sponsor of the show in Scotland, Shades Blinds, retained their association with the programme although they did raise the possibility of withdrawing their sponsorship.

[55][56]As a result of this incident, several individuals called for the show to be permanently taken off the air, including former ITV executive chairman Michael Grade,[57] Members of Parliament Damian Collins, Charles Walker and Julie Elliott and psychiatrist Simon Wessely.

On 15 May 2019, ITV's chief executive Carolyn McCall announced that the programme was cancelled, stating: Given the gravity of recent events we have decided to end production of The Jeremy Kyle Show.

[67] Also, in October 2007, the BBC began broadcasting The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, a sitcom starring and co-written by Jennifer Saunders and Tanya Byron.

[69][70] In the webcomic Scary Go Round, the character Desmond Fishman goes on The Jeremy Kyle Show as part of a scheme to parlay his freakish fish-like biology into fame and fortune.

[71] A behind-the-scenes DVD, titled Jeremy Kyle: Access All Areas, was released in late 2009, following the series' structure and how each programme was prepared and produced.

[72] In January 2010, ITV announced an agreement to take a pilot version of the show to the United States in 2010, in partnership with Lions Gate Entertainment subsidiary Debmar-Mercury.