‘I was forced to move for my children’s safety because of TV show’ reveals Benefit Street’s White Dee
Channel 4 reality star White Dee has revealed that after her stint in a reality show she was left worried about her family’s safety.
The star, who’s real name is Deidre Kelly, first hit TV screens in 2014 as part of Benefit Street before later appearing on Celebrity Big Brother.
Benefit Street chronicled the lives of those living on James Turner Street in Birmingham’s Winson Green area and the difficulties they faced.
White Dee was one of the prominent stars and as a result joined other famous faces on Celebrity Big Brother.
Yet appearing in the Big Brother House meant White Dee was forced to move her family including her children away from their home.
Speaking on This Morning with Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, White Dee explained why she left James Turner Street after her life changed significantly.
She said: “It has, it’s kind of like a funny story really because, you know, I went to Celebrity Big Brother, I left my house on James Turner Street to go into CBB, came out, we moved.”
She then explained how fame and being recognised affected her son and daughter Caitlin.
She added: “You bring your kids up going: ‘never talk to strangers’ and you’ve got thousands of strangers going: ‘is your mum in?'”
The move from her original Birmingham home has saddened her, as she shared: “I can kind of see why that’s happened but I do miss it because it was home.”
Moving past the difficulties, White Dee is now championing a new campaign to help those facing hard times.
Using her fame and public profile, she has set up a foodbank and community hub for those in need.
She explained in an interview to The Mirror: “The number of people living rough or who can’t afford to feed their children is spiralling out of control, so I knew I had to do something.”
She added: “A lot of the people we see here have hit on really hard times, but we’ve created a space where they won’t be judged and can get the supplies and help they need.”
Initially starting her charity stint by delivering food parcels during Covid, she opened the community hub in 2023. S
he’s also part of local anti-knife crime group ‘Birmingham Says No’.
She concluded by saying: “I do it because it’s in my heart and it’s how I was brought up it’s the idea that nobody is better than anyone else.
“We’ve all been through tough periods in our lives.”