‘We were picked on,’ say stars of Channel 4’s Benefits Street – as area is full of rubbish & crime is rife years later
STARS of Channel 4’s Benefits Street were “picked on” by the show’s producers, residents say.
Over 4.3 million tuned in each week to follow the likes of White Dee, Black Dee and Fungi as they went about their lives in Birmingham.
But ten years after James Turner Street shot to fame, some say the area has got worse and many are still aggrieved over the show’s portrayal of them.
One man, who did not appear on the series, told UnHerd: “They picked on people with benefits, they picked on the ones who were more colourful, so to speak.”
Another added: “Every area you go to you will find a street where people are going through similar struggles.”
Channel 4 claimed that 95 percent of residents on James Turner Street were on some form of benefits.
It portrayed a street rife with crime, drug use and job-shy layabouts.
But residents – allegedly given just a £50 Morrisons voucher for taking part – say those in the show never expected to be portrayed in such a way.
They claim producers told them the series would be about “the community”, with one man saying he had “paperwork” to prove this.
Despite its fame, the street and surrounding Winson Green area has struggled to lift itself up.
One elderly lady, whose lived in the area for 50 years, said there is “rubbish everywhere” and the street has “gone to the dogs”.
Another man claimed he had been burgled “28 times”.
Many of those who starred in the show have since moved on, including Stephen ‘Smoggy’ Smith, aka ’50p man’.
The door-to-door household item salesman was offered a £10,000 investment by Pimlico Plumbers founder Charlie Mullins.
One of the stars of the show, Sherrell ‘SB’ Dillion, now a model, watched the series for the first time in 2022 but was left with “mixed emotions”.
She 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.”
Benefits Street aired for nine episodes over two series between 2014 and 2015.