'I took every pill I had in the house': White Dee reveals she was almost driven to suicide as work dried up after her stint on Benefits Street

  • Dee - real name Deirdre Kelly - says she has been struggling for cash
  • The Benefits Street star said friends assumed she was a 'millionaire'
  • She was driven to despair and decided she wanted to end her life 
  • But the 44-year-old pulled through and is now on the road to recovery 

By Unity Blott For Mailonline

Published: 04:17 EST, 9 October 2016 | Updated: 10:23 EST, 10 October 2016

She shot to fame as the happy-go-lucky star of Benefits Street.

But despite stints on Celebrity Big Brother and a reported £1m fortune, reality star White Dee reveals she has since been pushed to the brink by a lack of work.

Dee - real name Deirdre Kelly - says her financial woes left her struggling to support her family and even drove her to attempt suicide.

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White Dee (pictured in 2014) says she has been struggling financially since her media work 'dried up' and even tried to take her own life by swallowing pills and downing alcohol

White Dee (pictured in 2014) says she has been struggling financially since her media work 'dried up' and even tried to take her own life by swallowing pills and downing alcohol

'After Benefits Street everyone thought I was a millionaire,' she told the Sun. 'But the reality was very different.'

The 44-year-old told how the work started 'drying up' but, reluctant to go back on benefits, she was forced to ask friends if they had any work going.

She added that despite being 'constantly' worried about work she was reluctant to go back to the job centre and sign on.

'So I took out every pill I had in the house and got a bottle of vodka,' Dee recalled. 'I took one tablet and washed it down with a shot, then another one.'

Dee shot to fame on Channel 4's Benefits Street in 2014 (pictured), which was followed by a string of media appearances including a stint on Celebrity Big Brother

Dee shot to fame on Channel 4's Benefits Street in 2014 (pictured), which was followed by a string of media appearances including a stint on Celebrity Big Brother

Dee at her former home in James Turner Street, Birmingham. Following her appearance on Benefits Street she said 'hundreds' of people turning up on her doorstep for autographs

Dee at her former home in James Turner Street, Birmingham. Following her appearance on Benefits Street she said 'hundreds' of people turning up on her doorstep for autographs

After drinking different spirits, the star said she woke up and was immediately sick.

Dee, who says she is now on the road to recovery, added: 'I’ll never let myself get low enough to do something so stupid again.' 

Earlier this year the mother-of-two, originally from Winston Green, Birmingham, revealed she was on the verge of losing her house and going back to 'square one'

In a statement released to a local paper the star, who shot to fame in 2014, said she had found herself back at square one - but vowed she would not be going back to her roots with the lifestyle which made her famous when she appeared on the Channel 4 documentary.

Dee appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, coming in at fifth place - but the star has since shrugged off suggestions that her media career has made her into a 'millionaire'

Dee appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, coming in at fifth place - but the star has since shrugged off suggestions that her media career has made her into a 'millionaire'

Dee speaks at a Policy Exchange fringe meeting at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham in September 2014; but the star says the work has since 'dried up'

Dee speaks at a Policy Exchange fringe meeting at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham in September 2014; but the star says the work has since 'dried up'

Dee first appeared in the spotlight after appearing on Benefits Street and then took part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2014, where she came fifth.

In 2014, it was reported Dee was making up to £6,000 a night in appearances.

She charged at least £1,500 an hour to appear at nightclubs and her manager claimed she could manage four meet-and-greets a night. 

Dee had previously moved from her home on James Turner Street, which was the setting for Benefits Street, after her seven-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter, who are both mixed race, received online abuse.

The reality star appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014 following her rise to fame, coming in at fifth place. Despite struggling for cash, Dee says she is now on the road to recovery

The reality star appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014 following her rise to fame, coming in at fifth place. Despite struggling for cash, Dee says she is now on the road to recovery

In January 2015, it was reported Dee had almost made £1million through her new career.

Dee tried to previously boost her television career by having Botox injections. 

In March, Dee had the injections during regular appointments with a cosmetics surgeon in Cannock, Staffordshire, to 'look good on television.' 

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see samaritans.org for details 

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