I was stitched up to look like UK’s laziest lout on Benefits Britain… now I’m back on dole after life took sinister turn
HE was one of the biggest stars of the eye-popping TV show Benefits Britain, infamously declaring he would rather be on the dole "than graft in a factory or ASDA".
Now Travis Simpkins has revealed his life took a dark and dangerous turn in the decade since the Channel 5 series, while claiming he was "exploited" by producers who stitched him up to look like a lout.
Travis, 28, says he was left suicidal in the aftermath of the hit show as his self-esteem hit rock bottom and trolls sickeningly encouraged him to kill himself.
In an exclusive interview, he tells The Sun: “I was seen as the star of the show, but someone should have stepped in and said, 'He’s got mental health issues, leave him alone'.
“But nobody did and that’s why I ended up feeling exploited, not just by Channel 5, but by everyone around me, because they all sat around watching me do it.
“No one said, ‘Do you want to take a step back and think about it?’
“Channel 5 did ask me if I was happy with everything, but I think they were just covering their backsides.
“There was one scene where we were drinking vodka and I was saying, ‘Top it up all the way to the top.’ People loved that scene, but it’s one of the bits I hate because I’m not always like that.”
Travis became the show's standout - and most controversial - star after it aired in 2015.
And he did his utmost to cash in on his newfound reality TV fame, signing up with agent Barry Tomes, who also represented Benefits Street star White Dee.
This led to a string of public appearances, as well as spots on other television shows including Judge Rinder.
He even landed a walk-on part in the 2017 movie How To Talk To Girls At Parties, which starred Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning.
At the height of his notoriety he talked about getting his teeth fixed, faced a 'cultural appropriation' row after growing dreadlocks and even discussed entering politics on a pro-benefits ticket.
But Travis, who currently lives in London, says the uproar caused was much worse than he expected.
Speaking a decade on from his brush with fame, he explained: “I always hated my teeth and wanted them fixing because I had an accident when I was younger, but people were saying: ‘This scrounger wants new teeth on the NHS.’
“I remember saying I wanted my sister to get a boob reduction and the next thing I was accused of wanting to become Prime Minister and hand out free boob jobs.
“It got to the stage where I became suicidal because of the backlash.
“People wouldn’t say nasty things to my face, but I could tell they were looking down their noses at me, and online, some of the things people were saying were disgusting.
“People would call me lazy and a waste of oxygen. They were basically saying I was better off not living."
The show made it seem that I wasn’t bothered about working, but I was
Travis Simpkins
Travis also insists his attempts to find employment on the show were twisted to make him look like a scrounger.
“The show made it seem that I wasn’t bothered about working, but I was," he says.
“I called one place asking for a job, and then when I went to the interview, it felt like I was in a school classroom, and my anxiety went through the roof, so I walked out.
“They made out that I went straight out and bought a bottle of vodka, but that isn’t what happened.
“At the end of the show they showed me on the phone to social services, but they made it out that I was on the phone to Big Brother, applying for the show.”
Reality check
On how he became part of a reality TV series at just 17, Travis said: “I’d always wanted to be on television and wondered how I could get on certain shows.
“I was 17 turning 18 when I first claimed benefits. I went into the job centre to get a form and outside I was approached by the Benefits Britain crew.
“They were with a few people I knew, and I thought it was a message from God because they approached me and said, ‘You would be the star of the show, you would take over the series.’
“I was like, ‘Really?’ They were promising my expenses would be paid and I would be taken care of. I thought, ‘Do I really want to be on a show all about benefits?’
“But they said it would be like my own documentary, and I would be the star. My friends were saying, ‘Do it, do it.’
“After I signed up, they started filming me everywhere I went, although if you watch the episode, I was only on it for 20 minutes.”
Back on benefits
Sheffield-born Travis says he has made a number of attempts at holding down a job since he reached working age.
However he is back on benefits, receiving £480 a month in Universal Credit and £700 a month in Personal Independence Payments (PIP) having been diagnosed with a number of conditions including ADHD last year.
In 2020 he was found guilty of dangerous driving at Sheffield Crown Court and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
He said: “Growing up I wanted to become a policeman and I’m so gutted I never got to that stage, but no one helped me and social services didn’t push me to fulfil my dreams.
“At 16 years old I was cleaning cars at a showroom on work experience, and when I was 18, I started working in pubs until it got a bit boring - I was working long hours without getting much from it.
“I stopped that, and my most recent job was working at a hotel in Hertfordshire."
Biggest regret
However, despite Travis's rollercoaster life in the 10 years since the series aired, if he had his time again he wouldn't change his mind.
He adds: “I don’t regret filming Benefits Britain. If I hadn’t gone on the show, I wouldn’t have had any of the cool opportunities that came afterwards, like working with Nicole Kidman in a film.
“I’ve met some really big names and stayed in executive suites in really nice places.
"I was on Matthew Wright’s 'The Wright Show' and he treated me like a big celebrity and said, ‘I’ve been waiting for you to come on this show for a long time.’
"The only thing I regret in life was getting behind the wheel of the car that day - that was the worst mistake I ever made."
The Sun has contacted Channel 5 for comment.
