Benefits Street residents have spoken out about the living conditions of the iconic road ten years on.
Since the famous spot became the focus of the Channel 4 show, it has continued to struggle with poverty and illegal activity. The Sun reported that an elderly resident, who has lived there for five decades, spoke out and claimed there is “rubbish everywhere” and the place has “gone to the dogs,” while someone else confessed he’d been burgled nearly 30 times.
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At the time of broadcast, Channel 4 said that 95 per cent of people who lived on James Turner Street were claiming a form of benefits and cameras followed the lives of those dealing with the harsh reality of street crime and drug culture. Now, the people of Birmingham are saying that the show’s makers told them Benefits Street would focus on “the community” and their bond with one another.
(Image: channel 4)
According to one of the former stars of the show Sherrell ‘SB’ Dillon, she was left with “mixed emotions” after she watched the series for the first time back in 2022. The model told The Sun: “It was watched by millions and all we received was a £50 Morrisons voucher. Producers could have helped us. That should have happened – instead, we were treated like a freakshow. I didn’t get an agent or any help. Everything I’ve achieved since is from my hard work, I struggled and hustled my way up.”
(Image: Birmingham Mail)
Daily Star went to Channel 4 for comment and the organisation responded: “All contributors were briefed extensively as to the nature of the television series and were also provided with support throughout the series. They were told the series would be an observational documentary about life on a street where the residents were primarily claiming benefits and the focus of the series would be on the characters and the sense of community on the street.”
The infamous series aired for two series from 2014 and over 4.3 million people switched on to follow the eclectic characters as they went about their daily lives, Set in Birmingham, fans of the show followed White Dee and her pals as they navigated life up north, but now a decade on from the action, one man has spoken about the show’s organisers.
(Image: Channel 4)
He did not make an appearance on the show but he reportedly told UnHerd: “They picked on people with benefits, they picked on the ones who were more colourful, so to speak,” and someone else added: “Every area you go to, you will find a street where people are going through similar struggles.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
