The “Dr. Phil” show denied claims made in an expose that the staff gave addicted guests drugs and booze before tapings of the show.
“The STAT article does not fairly or accurately describe the methods of ‘Dr. Phil,’ the TV show, or its mission to educate millions of viewers about drug and alcohol addiction,” a rep for the “Dr. Phil” show told Fox News in a statement Friday. “The show does not give drugs or alcohol to its guests and any suggestions to the contrary is errant nonsense.” (RELATED: Dr. Phil Accused Of Drugging, Boozing Up Addicted Guests)
The show is hosted by Phillip McGraw.
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“For the past 16 years, the ‘Dr. Phil’ show has provided valuable information to viewers by telling compelling stories about people who are fighting the battle to overcome alcohol and drug addiction,” the statement added. “Unfortunately, addicts often lash out at the very people who are trying the hardest to help them break the cycle of addiction.”
“Although terribly unfortunate, this is an understandable part of the behavior of addicts on their journey to recovery,” the statement continued. “Deception, dishonesty and denial are hallmarks of addiction. It tears families apart and certainly creates levels of complexities when we produce these important shows. None of this will deter the Dr. Phil show from its commitment to continue to educate and inform the public about the worsening epidemic of addiction.”
In a joint story by STAT News and the Boston Globe, several former guests and family members of guests accused staff of giving and or helping them get drugs ahead of their appearance on the show.
The winner of “Survivor” in 2007, Todd Herzog, claimed that vodka was left in his dressing room ahead of the taping and alleged that a member of the staff also gave him Xanax to “calm his nerves.”
Another guest, Joelle King-Parish, claimed that a member of the staff helped her daughter, who was pregnant, get heroin ahead of her taping of the show about addiction in 2016 and even went with her to get the drugs. The trip to find heroin was shot by the staffer, and it aired during her segment.