White Dee, real name Deirdre Kelly, 42, said: “I haven't been on benefits for my whole life, it's just that I'm not in a place where I can work.”
The mother-of-two, from Birmingham’s now infamous James Turner Street, explained that she was being assessed for bipolar disorder, adding that she has just become a symbol of those on benefits.
She said: “What you don't see is other people doing the same as me. I'm the only person being shown on the documentary doing this.”
Katie has already branded White Dee a “blood-sucking parasite”.
She had also earlier criticized those in the benefit system, adding: “We keep talking about children in trouble but we keep seeing people having children after children without being able to pay for it.
“Housing benefits was never set up to pay people to live where they can't afford to live. Hard working Britons have had enough.”
Later, an exasperated Annabel Giles, who was also featured in the debate, said to Katie: “You could be really dangerous if you knew what you were talking about.”
But irritated Katie angrily responded: “You choose to have a child, get a grip!”
Edwina Currie, former London Mayor Ken Livingston and Hayley “Fairy Jobmother” Taylor also spoke during the heated exchange.
During the show there was a running counter showing how much money had been spent on benefits since the start of the show – it reached £17million.
The programme was broadcast after research revealed that most Britons think the £208billion-a-year welfare state is broken.
A YouGov poll for Channel 5 revealed 66 per cent feel the benefits system is unfit for purpose.
While the same amount also supported tougher means testing and rules for claiming benefits.
