THE man behind controversial documentaries including Benefits Street and Immigration Street has defended the programmes, saying they do not have any "malign intent".

Channel 4 executive Ralph Lee told the Guardian the shows were made to tell stories about "some of the distressed parts of our society".

The first series of Benefits Street, filmed in Birmingham, made stars of some of its cast but was described by some critics as "poverty porn".

The new series, which is being filmed on Kingston Road, Stockton, was heavily criticised by local politicians who opposed the programme.

Mr Lee, who is head of factual programming at the channel, said some of the opposition was "a form of censorship" - a claim vigorously denied by Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham, who has been at the forefront of the fight to block the show being made in his constituency.

Mr Lee said: "We can't let this kind of criticism have a chilling effect on making programmes. In a way what they are calling for is a form of censorship and I am always really suspicious of that. I defend our right - and the necessity - to tell the stories of some of the distressed parts of our society."

He admitted that people in Southampton, where Immigration Street is being filmed, were "very split" on the idea of the show.

He said: "Some are very happy to show their lives, others less so, and those who aren't have received a lot of support and encouragement from everyone from the local MP to community groups.

"Rather than just close the door and ignore it, people have tried to obstruct it. That's a real shame. They seem to assume there is a malign intent, a guaranteed negative impact of trying to tell the story about immigration and integration. We don't have a malign intention; there isn't an agenda."

Mr Cunningham maintained the show could not be a true reflection of the area as so many residents had refused to sign up and the arrival of the cameras had encouraged young people to come to the area and act up.

He said: “My feeling has always been one of that you can’t stop people taking part in programmes like these because they have the right to have their voices heard but what does make me angry is that the vast majority of people in the street haven’t signed up to take part.

“I am certainly not in favour of censorship but this programme will not reflect the ordinary people who live in the street and just want to go about their everyday life. One of the problems is that the cameras have attracted young people from out of the area who have along to play up in the hope that they will appear on the show.”