If we are to believe Tolstoy, happy families are all alike, while every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. This is certainly true of the families we spend our time watching on television - if you're unconvinced, try tuning into EastEnders once in a while. It seems that writers love nothing more than coming up with unique and inventive ways to keep their fictional clans miserable, and therefore more interesting to viewers.
But not all TV is about misery. There is a man inside the idiot box who devotes his life to helping fractured families overcome their differences. A man whose polygraphs and DNA tests can put a stop to any long-running feud. That man is, of course, Jeremy Kyle. He has his own daytime talk show - you may have heard of it.
Below are five of the most disturbed families in modern television, who I think would almost certainly benefit from an appearance on Jeremy's show. Needless to say, spoilers abound - so read no further if you're not keen on unpleasant surprises (which really are integral to the appeal of Jeremy Kyle).
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