Springer-style show heads for TV

Published Oct 8, 2012

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Ricki Lake left a huge void in the talk show world when she retired. What? You’re still stuck on the Big O’s departure?

If you’re old enough to remember The Ricki Lake Show, you will recall that she was the tame version of Jerry Springer. While her show didn’t feature crass, silly characters, it did have its fair amount of wig-snatching. It’s not surprising that since she’s gone off air, there have been loads of other talk shows whose style is more tabloid than truth-talking.

One of them is The Jeremy Kyle Show. Starting as a British talk show anchored by the TV and radio personality the show is named after, it was initially a space for Kyle to interview celebs. Then he switched TV corporations and became a sensation when he dropped the celeb glitz for the Joe Soap drama.

Kyle is known for his super aggressive (and, might I say, annoying) interviewing style and throws any chance for objectivity right out of his set window. A year ago, he took his British show on the road and Uncle Sam welcomed him with open arms. The first season of The Jeremy Kyle Show USA is what is being screened on TopTV.

Just as in The Jerry Springer Show and its spin-off, The Steve Wilkos Show, the audience is never shy to get involved in what is being talked about in that episode. From the comfort of their seats, they egg on the guests to get violent.

The trash talk show features guests confronting loved ones and sometimes strangers whom they are tied to through their loved ones. They go toe-to-toe about alcohol and drug abuse, sex, infidelity, family and other topics that will only elicit one response from viewers: tjo!

 

• The Jeremy Kyle Show airs on TopOne (TopTV channel 150) every weekday at 6pm.

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