Rob McLoughlin discussed the tragic death which led to the cancellation of the Jeremy Kyle Show by ITV in peak time radio interviews on BBC Radio Five Live and on BBC Radio Wales.
He welcomed a Commons inquiry into ‘reality TV’ saying that ‘some good may come out of this tragedy’ as he also debated Kyle’s defence of the genre in interviews on Rob’s own radio shows.
He quoted examples from guests who had appeared on similar shows and claimed they had benefited but he recalled a conversation with one celebrity who had a ‘meltdown of sorts’ on Big Brother who he had privately suggested his planned appearance was ‘ill judged’. The celebrity eventually said the experience has been ‘cathartic’.
Rob said ITV were right to cancel the Kyle Show in the circumstances and argued that it probably didn’t match the brand values that channel aspired to.
The interviews were broadcast live and he has been asked to comment further on broadcast policy for other TV and radio programmes.
Rob was a Board Director and Senior Executive of Granada Television and a former Advisor to Granada Media and ITV plc.