Jeremy Kyle 'strongly believed' in using lie-detector tests to out his guests as liars but they may have been wrong a third of the time, MPs were told today.
The ITV host has refused appear before a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry on reality TV that started today after Steve Dymond's death led to the programme being axed in May.
Mr Dymond, 63, was found dead around a week after failing a lie detector test - but the show's executives today admitted some people failed even when telling the truth.
MPs today branded the Jeremy Kyle Show 'fake' and 'irresponsible' and said they were 'astonished' producers couldn't tell them how accurate the tests used to out guests as liars really are.
Committee chairman Damian Collins also quoted academic research showing the accuracy was only 66 per cent.
In Mr Kyle's absence his executive producer Tom McLennan was brought in to answer questions about the show in Parliament today as part of a wider inquiry into reality TV.
He admitted that these tests, used on the show since 2005, were 'not 100% accurate', adding: 'We've always made it very, very clear to viewers and participants of the show'.
But he added: 'Jeremy did have a strong opinion about the lie detector. He strongly believed in the tests'.
Jeremy Kyle (pictured on his ITV Studios set) has refused to appear in front MPs for questioning as part of a select committee investigation on reality TV that saw his show branded 'fake' today
In Mr Kyle's absence his executive producer Tom McLennan (pictured) was brought in to answer questions about the show in Parliament today - but admitted the lie detector tests were never 100% accurate
ITV executives have been called in by Parliament's culture committee who asked them about Jeremy Kyle and Love Island and how people who took part were cared for
Steven Dymond (left), 63, was said to have been left in tears and feeling suicidal after filming for Jeremy Kyle with his on-and-off girlfriend Jane Callaghan (right, with Mr Dymond) and failing a lie detector test
He said: 'If it wasn't for the lie-detector test, we might not be sitting here today.'
He added: 'The disclaimer doesn't mean very much, does it? It's being presented as black and white... That's causing considerable distress.'
The Jeremy Kyle Show's director of aftercare Graham Stanier (pictured today) said he was not responsible for Kyle's style.
'That is the presenter's style. I'm responsible for me and my behaviour. I can't be responsible for the presenter's behaviour,' he told MPs.
'In the moment he (Kyle) becomes passionate, opinionated, he will deliver in that way.
'If people are uncomfortable ... I think that's a production issue.'
Shown a clip of Kyle calling a guest a 'liar,' he said: 'I'm never comfortable with black and white statements.'
He said it was 'astonishing' that 'you don't know itself what the range is, in terms of the likeliness of getting a true accurate reading.... I'm disappointed that you can't do that.'
Asked if there were any plans to bring the show back, Julian Bellamy, ITV Studios managing director, said there were 'absolutely no plans to bring back a show that looks or feels like a Jeremy Kyle show'.
MPs were told: 'Jeremy Kyle has been involved in all sorts of programmes. Yes, we would look to work with him in the future ... We won't be making another conflict resolution show.'
Jeremy Kyle has turned down a request to appear before MPs investigating reality TV.
ITV axed The Jeremy Kyle Show - a fixture in its schedule for 14 years - in May, following the death of participant Steve Dymond.
It initially suspended filming but ended the series after coming under pressure from politicians and the public.
The boss of ITV later defended sending an email to staff about 'protecting' The Jeremy Kyle Show.
Dame Carolyn McCall told ITV staff, in an email, that the decision to halt filming of the controversial programme was 'the best way we think we can protect the show and the production team' from the reaction to Steve Dymond's death.
The long-running daytime programme was axed shortly afterwards.
ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee her message was an 'internal email'.
'Everybody at ITV was extremely sorry to have heard that someone who had appeared on the show had died in quite close proximity to appearing on
