ITV drops Barrymore series and signals his television career is at an end

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The television career of Michael Barrymore looked to have come to an end yesterday when ITV said he could no longer be considered a "family entertainer" and would not feature in any future shows.

The network, for whom the presenter scored a series of ratings successes, said it had made the decision after an open verdict was recorded into the death last year of a man found in the swimming pool at his house in Roydon, Essex. The coroner at the inquest confirmed this week that she had asked police to investigate whether Barrymore, 50, perjured himself. His claim at the inquest that he could not swim has been contested by his former wife.

Despite a career chequered by drug abuse and a turbulent private life, Barrymore's popularity with the public had remained constant throughout his diet of game shows and light entertainment slots. He was consistently voted Britain's most popular television star.

But the death of Stuart Lubbock, a 31-year-old meat factory worker, seems to have consigned the showman to history, with opinion polls showing clear majorities against a return to the screen.

ITV confirmed that a series of Kids Say The Funniest Things , fronted by Barrymore and recorded before the death of Mr Lubbock, would now not be shown and no further productions were planned.

A spokeswoman said: "We have consistently maintained that a final decision regarding Michael Barrymore's future with the channel would be made following the inquest into the death of Stuart Lubbock. We have reviewed the position again and can confirm that ITV has no plans to commission any new programmes featuring Michael Barrymore."

The presenter has not been paid by the network since a series of My Kind Of Music was screened in February, pulling in about 5.5 million viewers for its Sunday evening slot.

Directors of ITV had stuck by the presenter, who revealed in 1995 that he was gay, as he sought treatment for drink and drug problems. But a source at the network said yesterday: "We always said in the end the viewers would decide whether Michael could return to television. Following the inquest, public opinion is very strong and given everything that's happened his position as a family entertainer on ITV has become untenable."

Mr Barrymore's solicitor, David Corker, said last night: "In light of the continued unrelenting hostile media portrayals of Mr Barrymore since the inquest, it is unsurprising for ITV to have reached this decision. Mr Barrymore has been made aware of the decision. He accepts it and agrees that ITV had no choice."

Earlier this week the BBC shelved plans by its commercial arm to publish the entertainer's memoirs, for which he was to have received £500,000.