Scottish TV family in benefits probe

A FAMILY who starred in "The Scheme" yesterday blamed the show for sparking a huge benefits fraud investigation.

Roseann and Gordon Cunningham are accused of fiddling £60,000 after investigators saw them on-screen apparently living together.

But the pair have told the Department for Work and Pensions that they live apart - and Gordon has a different address.

The family, who were not paid to appear on BBC Scotland's controversial documentary series, have now pulled out of a follow-up because of the fraud probe.

Roseann, 46, and Gordon, 47, say they split on their wedding night after a violent bust-up.

Roseann, who gets £80 per week in income support and suffers from depression, said yesterday: "Anyone watching the show would think that Gordon and I were together but we have been separated since our wedding night.

"I hit him with a vodka bottle and the police got involved. It's very embarrassing but it's the truth.

"I suffer from depression and still rely on Gordon for help with our children but we're definitely not together.

"The Department for Work and Pensions believe Gordon was working and living here and I was claiming income support.

"When I was being interviewed they kept going on about The Scheme and showing me benefit claims I've made.

"They don't believe that Gordon and I have been separated for years."

The pair were interviewed by investigators on Wednesday over the allegations.

They wanted to know why the couple were on-screen together when Roseann told the Department for Work and Pensions she was a struggling single mum.

Roseann says she now fears being convicted of fraud and forced to pay back cash she's claimed since the 1990s because of her appearance in the BBC show.

The Scheme was set in Kilmarnock's Onthank housing estate. The first episode pulled in 300,000 viewers - and it was such a sensation that 500,000 people tuned in for the second episode.

But the third and fourth episode of the show had to be postponed after one of the documentary's main stars was arrested and faced a court trial.

Despite dating since their teens, Gordon and Roseann only tied the knot in March 1995.

By then, they already had five kids - Claire, 27, Bryan, 26, David, 22, Christopher, 21, and Kimberley, 17.

In the show, Gordon was filmed gardening and doing domestic chores including washing the dishes.

Roseann was filmed accompanying him to a job interview and the family were also seen setting off on a foreign holiday - leaving tearaway son Chris behind.

Filming for a new series of The Scheme started earlier this month.

It is expected to be screened along with the whole of the first series later this year.

But on Friday, the Cunninghams pulled out of appearing in front of the camera for a second time.

Roseann added: "I had friends and family telling me not to get involved in the first series and I didn't listen to them.

"But I've now decided I just can't do any more."

Factory worker Gordon added: "Roseann has health issues and two of the boys were on drugs at one point so I had to go round there and straighten things out from time to time.

"I also went round to visit my youngest daughter but I've never lived there.

"I have letters and documents stored away in a folder which prove I wasn't living with Roseann."

A DWP spokeswoman said: "It would be inappropriate for us to comment at this stage."

The Scheme's production company Friel Kean and the BBC both declined to comment.

htp: Dave