SBS pulls Struggle Street promo

SBS has pulled a promo for its doco series Struggle Street following criticism by community leaders.

Blacktown mayor Stephen Bali has called for the series to be dropped entirely, after claiming its portrayal of local residents was degrading.

Fairfax reports SBS managing director Michael Ebeid said the offending promo would be dropped as a “gesture of goodwill” but defended the series produced by KEO Films Australia.

“People and families living in circumstances similar to those depicted in the documentary are located in a wide range of locations across Australia not just Mount Druitt. However for the documentary to be believable, it cannot be devoid of a place setting,” he said.

“SBS appreciates working with the council in this endeavour to ensure the documentary is portrayed as a story of the small section of the community struggling to get by, rather than a story of the whole community of Mount Druitt.”

Struggle Street premieres at 8:30pm Wednesday on SBS ONE.