Bread and Circuses

There’s a real inconsistency when it comes to how we look at two very similar tragic events. 

On one side, you’ve got the Jeremy Kyle Show - a total circus, built to humiliate people for ratings. It was called 'human bear-baiting'. The whole thing was about creating drama and putting vulnerable people in the spotlight for the entertainment of others. When someone tragically took their own life after appearing on the show, it was obvious to many that the show’s intense, confrontational format might have played a part. But, surprisingly, we’re told the show wasn’t really to blame, despite how toxic it clearly was. The show was shut down, yes, but ITV and those involved tried to wash their hands of responsibility, claiming it wasn’t the cause, and a coroner agreed.

 

Now, compare that to the case of a headteacher who took her life after an Ofsted inspection. Here’s someone who’s spent their career helping kids, working under constant pressure from Ofsted to meet endless standards and targets. After a stressful inspection, this headteacher felt so crushed by the pressure that she took her life. And in this case, the connection to Ofsted was acknowledged - there was recognition that the extreme stress imposed by inspections can drive people to despair. The same kind of pressure you’d see on Jeremy Kyle - public judgement, harsh criticism - exists here too, but in a quieter, more bureaucratic way. 

So here’s the inconsistency: both situations involve intense pressure and public humiliation, but only one - Ofsted - is declared to have a causal link to a suicide.