Benefits Street
This documentary series reveals the reality of life on benefits, as the residents of one of Britain's most benefit-dependent streets invite cameras into their tight-knit community
Production
Production
Seasons
1. Episode 1
Viewers are introduced to the residents of James Turner Street in Birmingham, where there is a high proportion of benefit claimants. Residents are seen committing crimes, such as benefit fraud, cannabis cultivation and shoplifting, with the programme including a demonstration of how to steal designer clothes and remove the security tags. Shoplifter Danny is returned to prison after breaching an anti-social behaviour order that excluded him from the city centre, while Fungi, another resident takes free magazines from a hotel lobby and sells them on the streets for £2.50. Smoggy, a reformed ex-convict sells 50p sachets of sugar and washing powder to raise money for himself. The street's sense of community is highlighted too, as White Dee—styled as the "mother" of the street because everyone turns to her for advice—offers Black Dee advice when she is threatened with eviction, and attempts to help Fungi to overcome his drug habit.
2. Episode 2
This week’s episode showed the disruption caused by Romanian arrivals. Fourteen Romanians living in one house started a metal collection business. They rooted through everyone else’s bin bags looking for scrap and left a mess the council refused to clean up. Emotions were running high and we saw Fungi abusing a Romanian woman. It made distressing viewing, especially since last week he was more loveable rogue than bigot. Contrary to what its critics allege, though, the programme does not present people as simple stereotypes.
3. Episode 3
Episode three focuses on the children of the families on James Turner Street. The episode deals with Sam, whose son has been taken away from her because of her addiction to heroin. The programme also features Mark and Becky, a young couple struggling to raise their two young children. Children are seen swearing and misbehaving, while White Dee reprimands her son for losing his bicycle.
4. Episode 4
The fourth episode deals with ambition. White Dee's 15-year-old daughter wishes to follow a career as a gym instructor and undertakes work experience at a leisure centre. SB, an aspiring model who left her abusive partner has her children schooled at home, and finds work in a local takeaway. Fungi, whose electricity has been cut off, and has no contact with his children, experiences personal disappointment when a planned meeting with his son is cancelled by the boy's adoptive parents.
5. Episode 5
The final episode of the series sees the breakdown of the relationship between Hannah and her Zimbabwean partner, Simba who she leaves after he loses his benefits because he failed to renew his visa and starts drinking excessively. She is rehoused by the local authority, while he is left without an income because of his lapsed immigration status. Fungi goes for hospital tests after discovering a lump on his chest. He is relieved to learn it is not cancerous, but is told it is being aggravated by his lifestyle of drink and drugs. Information technology worker Ewan takes part in a cleanup initiative as the street prepares to enter a Britain in Bloom contest.
6. The Last Word
Following the immense reaction to Benefits Street from dozens of headlines to questions in parliament, this follow-up documentary gives the residents of James Turner Street the chance to discuss their experiences of being on benefits and their perspectives on the welfare system. The programme features a number of interviews with some of the key contributors to the series.
Cast
Tony Hirst
Narrator
More Like This
Beauty Newbie
Liu has been bullied for her looks her whole life. To fit in at university and escape the judgment, she undergoes plastic surgery. After her transformation, she befriends Faye, a stunning natural beauty. However, Liu’s life takes a turn when Guy, a handsome acquaintance from middle school, warns her to stay away from Faye. This angers Liu, especially compared to Saint, her kind and supportive neighbor. When Liu’s secret is revealed, her friends turn on her, leaving her to question if she will ever truly be accepted for who she is.
Hak Lai, My Lady
After stealing the key to her mother’s safe box, Lalin heads out to find her biological father, but gets attacked along the way. Here she meets Pi, the owner of Huen Hak Phaeng Farm, whom she had an issue with prior. Chaos ensues when the key to her mother's safe goes missing and she needs to stay at Huean Hak Phaeng Farm to find that key.
Lovey Dovey
When two brothers fall for two sisters, they quickly realize the age differences between them are too big to ignore.
Salário Mínimo
The Ex-Morning
When broadcaster Pathaphi gets demoted following a public shaming, his ex Tamtawan is given the job of helping him rebuild his reputation.
Darker Passages
A follow-up series to the popular Dark Passages program - continuing the exploration of lesser-known supernatural events, unsolved mysteries, cults, and urban legends.
Köprü
The World of My 17
Four high school girls navigate insecurities, challenges, and personal growth while forming deep bonds of friendship. As Oh Na-ri adjusts to a new chapter in her life, she finds support in her elegant childhood friend Yoo Na, protective classmate Sun Ji, and idol trainee Mi Rae. Together, they face struggles and discover the true meaning of friendship.
Family No. 1
The misadventures of two families who are forced to live in the same house as tenants after being conned by their estate agent.
You Touched My Heart
Anyamanee is a beautiful girl brought up in a family that only honours men, which makes her proud of what she has cause she got it with so much difficulty. She meets Kueakhun, a man who warms both body and heart and is ready to give a warm light to a woman who is like a diamond in his heart, but love life isn't that easy. When two families' business problems get involved, including the death of Anyamanee's brother, Kueakhun becomes her first suspect because of his past relationship with her sister-in-law, which ended a long time ago has come back again.
The Real Housewives of Orange County
A view into the lives of several women and their families who live in one of the wealthiest communities in the country with the viewer taken "inside the gates" to show their lives aren't always perfect.
Miliki Family
Mystères
The Congregation
Anna, a young and naive woman, moves to Knutby to become part of the free church congregation as a nanny, which to her seems like a warm and pious community. But soon the idyll that never existed crackles, and manipulation, power games, social exclusion, group pressure, brainwashing, fanaticism and both more and less religiously sanctioned left-wing chatter end in murder and grief.
Scooby-Doo! Behind the Scenes
Mystery Inc. details bits of "behind the scenes" trivia about their work and personal lives. A series of eight shorts that aired on Cartoon Network during commercial breaks in the 25 Hours of Doo marathon on October 24, 1998.
Live-In
She's the One
Beatriz Dourado, a young black woman marked by abandonment, searches for answers about her past and discovers that her mother, Clarice, left her to pursue her career in Rio de Janeiro. With devastating revelations and a new love, Beatriz faces adversity and transforms her pain into power, fighting to conquer her place in the world.
Evil Online
Real-life tales of tragedy when online acquaintances turn out to be murderous villains in disguise.
Reviews
No reviews available yet.