The Jeremy Kyle Show was taken off air to 'protect it and the team', an email apparently sent from ITV bosses to staff has revealed.
Responding to the suspected suicide of guest Steve Diamond, the channel pulled the episode and subsequently stopped filming and removed past episodes from its catch-up service.
And Buzzfeed journalist Mark Di Stefano has shared what he claims is an email to ITV staff about the show's suspension.
"We have all been shocked and saddened at this news and have taken the decision to suspend both filming and broadcasting of the show," the email reads.
"This was a very difficult decision to make but we felt that it would be inappropriate to continue to broadcast the show when a participant on it has so recently died.
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"This decision is not in any way a reflection on the show, but the best way we think we can protect the show and the production team from the reaction we expect to this death.
"Given that someone who took part in the show has died a few days after, we will undertake a review of this episode.
"We are scoping out the details of this today and will complete it as soon as we can."
The message goes on to advise that counsellors will be on site for the production team in Manchester, where it is filmed.
Steve's landlady found him dead in his room last Thursday, and said he was left suicidal after filming the show.
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According to Shelly, 55, the 62-year-old was 'sobbing and distraught' when he returned from the set on May 2 after failing a lie-detector test about whether he had cheated on his on-off girlfriend, Jane Callaghan.
And earlier today, a Twitter user who says he worked on The Jeremy Kyle show claimed guest Steve's death was just the 'tip of the iceberg'.
Going by the handle @tvtenterhooks, his bio says, "I find people for TV shows," and his latest post claims he worked on the ITV programme for a period of six months.
"Can assure you, story is the tip of the iceberg. Exploiting people with serious mental health/addiction problems," he wrote.
"Promise ‘aftercare’ after f***ing people’s lives up. Can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this s**t to be investigated."
ITV has, however, defended the aftercare it offers, stating: "The Jeremy Kyle Show has significant and detailed duty of care processes in place for contributors pre, during and post show which have been built up over 14 years."
