I regret creating Benefits Street – residents are STILL scarred by the backlash ten years later, we got it totally wrong
THE CREATOR of Benefits Street has revealed that he feels bad about the effect the show has had on residents.
The Channel 4 documentary series gave Brits a glimpse into what life was like on the poverty line, as camera crew went into the homes of people without income on Birmingham’s James Turner street.
There was a lot of controversy around it, as some of the people on the programme were shown committing crimes and others admitted they didn’t have a desire to find a job and get off the dole.
Residents of the street ended up getting death threats on social media after the series aired.
After receiving a huge number of complaints, Ofcom also launched an investigation into the show to see if it had broken any broadcasting rules.
However, it passed all the checks, and several members on the production team have defended the importance of documenting how people on benefits live.
Now the executive producer has admitted to feeling some guilt for revealing the name of the street the show was filmed on.
Love Productions’ Kieran Smith told the BBC: “When we set out to make the programme we didn’t forecast that it was going to be the thing it became.
“I do have sympathy with people who say ‘listen that’s tarred our street’ or ‘we’ve got a reputation we didn’t ask for’. I do regret that.
“But it wasn’t our motive to do that.
“Our expectation was this would be a series that would fly under the radar. It turned into something much larger.”
However, he also pointed out how much the production company did for people who participated in Benefits Street.
He added: “In terms of aftercare – I had producers staying in Dee’s house… we put Fungi through rehab… we did a lot for people on that series.”
Kieran also believes that it would be possible to do a modern reboot of the series, as living conditions have gotten even more dire ten years on because of the recession.
Although he did add that if he doubts a remake would still be called Benefits Street, calling the title “toxic”.