A former producer on The Jeremy Kyle Show has revealed the secrets of what went on backstage to ensure an 'explosive programme'.
The popular daytime show has been axed by ITV bosses after former guest Steve Dymond was found dead a week after he failed a lie detector test on the show.
Now one former producer has revealed the secret tactics they used behind-the-scenes to make sure guests would be gunning for each other when the cameras started rolling.
The former staffer claims producers were trained in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) so they could 'manipulate guests' reactions'.
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One such tactic was called 'anchoring' which was usually done in the moments before a guest would go on stage in order to 'stoke up their fury'.
They claimed that as the guest would listen backstage, a producer would touch their elbow and repeat the action just before they went on which would act as a trigger to get them angry.
According to claims made by the source, producers on the show were "very good at bending them [guests] to our will".
Producers allegedly learned ways to manipulate people so they could make the show run in the direction of the 'best storyline'.
But with there being a certain amount of anger and 'carnage' on stage, it was often overlooked as to how the mental health of guests were, after the cameras had stopped filming, the ex-producer claimed.
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The producer admitted that "the nightmare scenario was always that someone would come on your show and kill themselves, and you'd be held responsible".
With the shock value one of the main selling points for the show, the producer said: "There was immense pressure to find sensational stories with fights and swearing. Your professional progression relied on it."
On this basis, researchers went looking for people and situations that could be played out on stage, with free DNA and lie detector tests proving to be a huge selling point, especially as no payments were offered to those appearing.
Getting a "definitive answer" to a "sensational story" proved to be a lucrative draw for many.
They said: "Results were kept from guests until they were on stage to provoke maximum reaction.
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"I remember guests in tears, fathers having to say goodbye to their children and leave in different taxis."
Despite there being checks into the guests' mental health and medications and whether they had a history of drug taking, the researcher admitted that time pressures meant that CRB (criminal record) checks could not be done.
It was also revealed that many of the producers were in their 20s with the producer saying "you don't question yourself as much at that age".
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Once they arrived at the studio, a number of techniques were used to 'manipulate the guests'.
Producers would allegedly place crushed up tissues in the hands of those they felt would cry and would flit between the dressing rooms of warring factions to ensure they were 'stoked up' reportedly telling them 'not to leave without getting answers'.
ITV axed The Jeremy Kyle Show with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Mirror Online has contacted ITV for comment.
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