Jeremy Kyle is reportedly worried ITV have been waiting for an excuse to axe his show.
Jeremy Kyle
Filming and broadcasting of the controversial ITV daytime programme was suspended with immediate effect after news of the tragic death of guest Steve Dymond - whose episode will not be broadcast - and it's said the presenter fears that bosses will use the scandal to get the show off air.
An insider told The Sun: "Jeremy and those on the show are worried that this could be the nail in the coffin.
"There's been a groundswell of criticism since the news broke of Steve's death, and there's a feeling from people who work on the show that top bosses might decide to use the incident as a reason to change things around."
It's claimed that new ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall has never been a big fan of the show, and even believes it clashes too much with the rest of the daytime schedule.
The source added: "Senior figures at ITV think the schedule should be more wholesome and that this jars with it a bit. The CEO has told people she wants ITV to be upbeat and positive."
Professor Jonathan Shalit - whose talent agency represents host Jeremy - added that the programme could be cancelled if there was "a direct failing by someone on the show", but he didn't expect that to be "the case".
He said: "Whatever decision ITV and Dame Carolyn make, they will do so for the right reasons. If there's a direct failing by someone on the show it could go, but ITV cares greatly about its aftercare and it feels unlikely that was the case."
Meanwhile, in a previous statement, 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' producers confirmed that episode of the show would never air, as they also revealed they would be conducting "a review of this episode of the show".
A spokesperson for ITV told BANG Showbiz: "Everyone at ITV and 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' is shocked and saddened at the news of the death of a participant in the show a week after the recording of the episode they featured in.
"Our thoughts are with their family and friends. ITV will not screen the episode in which they featured ... Given the seriousness of this event, ITV has also decided to suspend both filming and broadcasting of 'The Jeremy Kyle Show' with immediate effect in order to give it time to conduct a review of this episode of the show."
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