White Dee

White Dee’s diary: From Benefits Street to Downing Street?

Plus: On being Channel 4's biggest hit, and on James Turner Street as a tourist attraction

White Dee with her daughter Caitlin [Channel 4/Richard Ansett] 
issue 15 February 2014
There’s no reason why you should have heard of me. No reason why you would have watched a Channel 4 television series called Benefits Street — with a title like that, I’d have changed channel if it came on my telly. But they didn’t tell us the title when they wanted to spend 18 months filming on our street. For reasons I can’t pretend to understand, five million people tuned in. It’s supposed to be the biggest hit Channel 4 have had since The Snowman. A fairly normal bunch of people — myself, Fungi, Black Dee, Becky and Mark — have become reality TV stars. It’s like Big Brother, except no one is evicted. Or paid.

Fungi, who is one of Dee's neighbours (Photo: Channel 4)

Another unlikely reality TV star: Fungi, one of White Dee’s neighbours (Photo: Channel 4)

Since the programme first aired, everything has gone mad. Our street, James Turner Street, has become the unlikeliest of tourist attractions.

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