A FAMILY who appeared on a controversial show about life on benefits has offered a heartfelt apology to the "good people of Hull" for the way the city was portrayed.
More than 2.5 million people watched the Channel 5 episode of Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole, on Monday evening, as more than four months of filming in Hull was televised over a one-hour episode.
But since the programme was aired, Gordon Higinbotham, of Bransholme, claims he has fallen victim to a backlash from residents across Hull.
He, his daughter Roseanne Snowden and son-in-law Mark, who live in east Hull, all featured on the show.
In an interview with the Mail, Mr Higinbotham:
Said sorry to "the good people of Hull" for agreeing to feature on the show.
Claimed he wanted to stand up for the city's thousands of poverty-stricken people.
Insisted he and his family need protection from the abuse they are receiving from people on the streets.
Urged people to inundate Channel 5 with letters of complaints after damaging the city's reputation.
Criticised the programme for making him look fat.
Mr Higinbotham said: "I want to say sorry on behalf of me and my family to the good people of Hull for featuring on a programme that has totally ruined the reputation of the city.
"I have lost friends because of this and I regret going on there – we were made to look stupid.
"I am a proud man from Bransholme and I love the estate and Hull itself.
"I thought this programme was a chance to give the tens of thousands of poor people in the city a voice.
"We thought we were doing the right thing but clearly we made a big mistake."
The family agreed to take part after they received a flyer asking people on benefits to contribute to the documentary. Father-of-four Mr Higinbotham lives at home with his wife and has two grandchildren.
He claims Channel 5 portrayed him as a racist during the programme.
"I admit I did some silly things when I was younger. I lost two people very close to me through death and I lost the plot," said Mr Higinbotham.
"I got into a fight with some foreigners when my head wasn't right and I let myself down. I wanted somebody to blame.
"I had some racist tattoos done but I want them removed now. That madness is behind me."
When the programme-makers announced in March that filming had begun, politicians expressed fears it would show Hull in a bad light.
Mr Higinbotham said: "I wish I had listened to the advice now.
"I am getting so much abuse from people in the street, calling me a fat so-and-so and a fat Hitler.
"I am no racist and I am definitely not fat. The programme made me look so podgy, I watched in horror.
"My daughter and son are expecting a baby in a few months and they too are being viciously abused. We need bouncers or something.
"Channel 5 should be ashamed of itself for what is had done to our city.
"I would love people to ring them, write to them and email them. People should complain until Channel 5 is sick of it. We need to stick together as one united city."
'Channel 5 should not be let anywhere near this city' GORDON Higinbotham says he turned down Channel 5 after they approached him about a follow up documentary.He said: "It is a programme about Asbos and I may have helped them out if they had not made such a mess up of the first programme.
"Channel 5 should not be let anywhere near this city ever again. .
"What they hardly mentioned was that I am a full-time carer for my 16-year-old son Jordan, who has a serious spine injury. That is why I do not have a job.
"I am a family man and all I care about are my kids and grandchildren."
His son-in-law Mark Snowden said: "Channel 5 is the lowest form of life and they were only ever interested in the bottom line for them – and that was making money.
"They didn't care about us and they didn't care about Hull."
