MP: 'Jeremy Kyle' a 'modern freak show'

The Jeremy Kyle Show has been named the "modern-day equivalent of the freak show" by an MP who wants more responsible broadcasting.

Kerry McCarthy said shows that reveal paternity tests on air demonstrate "declining" TV standards, according to the Daily Mail.

The Labour MP for Bristol East told Parliament: "You might say that what a baby doesn't know won't hurt them. But the chances that baby will grow up and find out one day exactly what happened on that television programme, I would say, are fairly high.

"People in their neighbourhoods won't forget about it, their future schoolmates will find out about it. They risk humiliation, bullying, feeling rejected, feeling hurt. And to be honest, even if they don't find out, I can't help feeling there is just something plain wrong about it."

An ITV spokesman said the programme takes the well-being of guests and their children "very seriously" and adheres to strict guidelines.

"DNA tests proceed only with the fully informed consent of guests after careful discussion between them and our production teams. No children of school age are the subject of DNA tests, and particular care is taken in relation to children of pre-school age, with children over the age of 18 months being involved only in exceptional cases," he said.

> Jeremy Kyle voted worst daytime show