POVERTY Porn will not be coming to the Three Towns after Channel 5 decided to bin their idea of filming a benefits programme in Stevenston.

Labour Councillors Jim Montgomerie and Joe Cullinane are relieved that Channel 5 will not be filming ‘Poverty Porn’ in Stevenston after they had started a campaign to stop any show being made.

As the Herald revealed last year, researchers had been in Stevenston with a view to filming a programme akin to ‘The Scheme’ which was filmed in Kilmarnock and made a mockery of the shows “stars”, including Marvin and his dog Bullet.

But the station have now confirmed they wouldn’t be coming to the area.

Last month, the councillors sent a joint letter to Channel 5 warning them they wouldn’t be welcome to film such a programme in Stevenston.

In their letter they pledged to launch a local campaign if TV bosses didn’t give them an unequivocal assurance that they wouldn’t come to Stevenston but having failed to respond in over a month the councillors decided to launch a campaign Councillor Jim Montgomerie, said: “I am delighted that Channel 5 bosses have ditched their ‘poverty porn’ plans.

"It is a great relief that our community and some of its residents won’t become the latest victims of this divisive form of television.

"I just wish they would ditch these programmes altogether.” Councillor Joe Cullinane, Labour’s MSP candidate for Stevenston, added: “Launching this campaign has put pressure on Channel 5 to bin their plans and I am pleased that by standing up to them we have won this campaign on behalf of the community.” Channel 5 confirmed to the Herald that they did not film in the area.