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EXCLUSIVE Australia couldn't look away when controversial reality TV show Struggle Street aired about battlers in the country's poorest suburbs. Here's the honest truth of where the stars of the show are today..
. Controversial TV show Struggle Street was filmed 10 years ago There is one happy story and a new baby among the participants But Corey is doing serious jail time and Billie Jo is charged in two states By Candace Sutton for Daily Mail Australia Published: 07:37 BST, 9 September 2024 | Updated: 07:37 BST, 9 September 2024 e-mail View comments They shocked, horrified and outraged Australia - but spellbound viewers couldn't look away as Struggle St gave the nation a chilling insight into life on the other side of the tracks. Now, 10 years later, Daily Mail Australia has tracked down what has happened to the key figures among the SBS show's reality TV stars - and it's a tragic mix of despair for most.
Corey's doing serious time in prison, Bob's dead, Billie Jo's out of jail but facing charges in two states. Ashley's in a wheelchair. But among the gloom, there is a glimmer of good news.
Chloe now has a baby. Shantelle has two kids - but there is an AVO out against their dad, Corey. Billie Jo's mother Carlene got busted for a bit of dope growing last year, while Corey was convicted of robbery in company and escaping police custody, landing him five years in jail.
Ten years after appearing in one of Australia's most gripping reality TV shows ever, the stars of Struggle Street have moved on - but not necessarily upward. SBS produced three seasons of the documentary series, following mostly jobless, welfare-dependent people living tough lives in the country's poorest suburbs. But it was Struggle Street's Sydney-based Mt Druitt series which made global headlines and mesmerised Australia.
The Kennedy family back in 2014 with mum Peta (red shirt), dad Ashley and four of their ten children outside the home where they lived on welfare with one ice-addicted son The infamous scene which shocked viewers: Billie Jo, heavily pregnant, toking on a bong while her mum Carlene chats - and later says she'd be restricting her daughter to 'bongs only' until the baby was boen Bob Quinn (left) recently died and Billi Jo Wilkie (right) is facing more charges on the Gold Coast and back in Sydney Its real characters, whose lives, with all their ups and downs, were laid bare to the world, have wrestled with their 'fame' ever since. Condemned by some viewers as 'disgusting and sick', the show's 'stars' later hit out at the abuse they suffered after appearing on the so-called 'poverty porn' drama. The storm of controversy over the Mt Druitt 'TV stars' abated, but they still trigger strong reactions.
When Daily Mail Australia last week week exclusively revealed that one of more contentious people to feature in the show, Bob Quinn, had died aged 56 , readers flooded us with questions about the others: where were they now? During filming in 2014, Bob Quinn revealed to the documentary makers that he had been a heroin addict for three decades before recently getting into methamphetamines. Bob was the father of the unborn child of Billie Jo Wilkie, then aged 21. Billie Jo caused outrage and became the show's most infamous figure when filmed, heavily pregnant, sitting on a toilet smoking cannabis from a bong with her mum, Carlene.
Corey Kennedy was then a 26-year-old ice addict of eight years and a young father whose struggles with the law made him a nightmare for his own parents. Corey's father, Ashley Kennedy, then 55 years old and the father of 10 children, begged police to arrest Corey for his own good. Mr Kennedy was in the midst of his own struggles, trying to support his huge family on welfare after having to give up his day job because of complex health problems.
Corey Kennedy and his now estranged partner Shantelle Skeen reunited after his ice addiction broke up their relationship, but it didn't last and now he's back in prison Shantelle Skeen has split from Corey while he is doing five years in prison for robbery in company and demanding money with menaces Among their massive brood, Mr Kennedy and his wife Peta had one child suffering brain damage, and daughter Chloe who was mercilessly bullied at school for years. Then aged 18, and suffering from epilepsy and autism, Chloe admitted the abuse had driven her to the brink of suicide and once tried 'to hang myself in my room'. In a heartbreaking scene, Chloe met with one of her school abusers, who apologised on the show.
Her addict brother Corey ran helterskelter through the show's narrative, often apparently high on drugs. While holding his young son with girlfriend Shantelle Skeen in one scene, he was filmed shaking and swearing loudly, pushing his parents to their wits' end. At one point, Mr Kennedy yells on camera at Corey, who is about to speed off in a car while apparently drugged: 'Go write yourself off, you f***wit.
'Go and kill yourself, you f***ing dog.' Unfortunately for Corey - who later reportedly 'got clean' and reunited with his partner Shantelle - life has since reverted back to the desperate days of 2014. COREY KENNEDY 2014: 25-year-old ice-addict father of a young son, struggling with an eight-year addiction, split from long-term girlfriend, Shantelle Skeen.
He was subsequently jailed on multiple charges. 2017: Released from jail and clean from drugs, living in north-west Sydney with Shantelle and the couple had welcomed their second child, a baby daughter Now: Since his redemption and return to 'normal life' seven years ago, Corey Kennedy has seriously gone off the rails. Within a year, Corey's resolve to stay off ice had reportedly evaporated and in 2018, Shantelle took out an Apprehended Violence Order against him, and again in 2020.
Another AVO was taken out for two years in 2023 on behalf of Shantelle and two of Corey's relatives, when the now 35-year-old's life seemed to spiral down to new lows. In western Sydney, Corey was charged with two counts of stalking, intimidating and intending to cause fear of harm, having a knife in a public place, and breaching the AVO protecting Shantelle. Corey Kennedy ran helterskelter through the show's narrative, often apparently high on drugs.
Corey was charged with two counts of stalk, intimidate and intend to cause fear of harm, having a knife in a public place, and breaching the AVO protecting Shantelle Skeen Corey Kennedy is now serving a maximum five year prison term for robbery in company and charges including demand property with menaces Sentenced in June last year to a maximum of 20 months, with an earliest release date of April this year, Corey had already forfeited his chance for parole with further charges . In July this year, he was convicted of one count of demand property with menaces, robbery in company, hinder or resist police officer, and two of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. Corey was sentenced to five years in prison, with a minimum of three years and three months, meaning his earliest chance for parole is in March 2027.
BILLIE JO WILKIE 2014 : The bong-smoking pregnant 21-year-old sent shock waves around the nation. Filmed brazenly lighting up on the toilet, the homemade pipe propped on her eight-month baby bump, Billie Jo later said she had been tricked into doing so on camera. She gave birth to her third child during filming and, like the previous two, her baby boy to much older boyfriend Bob Quinn was taken immediately into care.
Billie Jo and Bob would later admit they were 'smashed on ice' during filming. 2015 : Billie Jo was jailed for multiple driving offences including being caught twice in one day driving without a licence and driving the same unregistered vehicle, spending time in a women's prison alongside Harriet Wran, the then-drug-addicted daughter of late former NSW premier, Neville Wran. Billie Jo Wilkie smoking a bong (left) on the toilet and a cigarette (right) after going into labour lit a firestorm of controversy for SBS which was accused of creating 'poverty porn' Now aged 31, Billie Jo Wilkie is living on the Gold Coast where she has had run-ins with the police and is facing charges of dishonestly obtain property by deception back in Sydney 2017 : After splitting up with Bob, Billie Jo became engaged to a new love, George, but the relationship didn't last and three years later she would be convicted of stalking and intimidating him with two large kitchen knives.
2019 : Charged with multiple offences relating to a shoplifting spree with a male friend at Westfield Mt Druitt and jailed. November 2019 : Twelve days after Billie Jo's release from prison, store detectives caught her stealing again from Kmart at Westfield Mt Druitt and she was banned from entering all Kmarts in NSW. 2020 : Warrant issued for Billie Jo's arrest after she failed to appear for her sentencing on the knife-related charges.
2023 : Billie Jo was again in jail for shoplifting, but released on bail last December after a NSW Supreme Court bail application heard of mental trauma and stress she had undergone growing up. Now : She is also charged with four counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception, due to be heard next year in Sydney. Billie Jo has been listed to appear at Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast on one or more unstated charges.
BOB QUINN 2014 : Bob Quinn, then aged 46, was the expectant father of Billie Jo Wilkie's unborn child and featured in scenes smoking cannabis bongs with her and Billie Jo's mother Carlene Wilkie. A 30-year veteran 'functioning' heroin addict, Bob had also got 'into the ice', he said, as had pregnant Billie Jo, which made him further concerned about the child he was convinced would be taken into care at birth. Bob and Billie Jo were filmed breaking into a flatmate's room to retrieve a bong, and later admitted buying methamphetamines during filming with welfare money freed up when SBS paid for their food and phones.
Bob Quinn, on ACA talking about being on Struggle Street, on which he admitted he had been smashed on methamphetamines bought during filming When the baby was born, as Bob predicted, it was immediately taken into care, and in a further blow, despairing Bob learns Billie Jo is not even certain the child was his. 2016 : While Billie Jo goes to jail, Bob gets off ice, admitting the drug is 'bad s**t' and that he had 'fallen into oblivion'. He added: 'It’s a terrible life being on ice, it’s just misery.
I still have a daily struggle and we have these c***s who still come around and say can we get some and we’ll spot you some for free, the motherf***ers.' 2017 : Bob's time on Struggle Street and the adverse publicity strained his relationship with his family and he spends time in hospital for various physical conditions, some as a result of his drug taking. Financially destitute, he is charged with multiple fraud charges.
Bob Quinn died in June at the age of 56 and his son Cameran posted this tribute to his father, saying 'the void left by his absence will take a long time to come to terms with' 2018 : He is convicted for five counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and for breaching an old driving charge and sentenced to nine months imprisonment, to be served by way of home detention. 2018-2023 : Describes himself on social medis as 'addict at unemployed'. June 26, 2024: Bob Quin dies aged 56, his son Cameran later posting a tribute: 'It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I share the passing of my father, one of my closest companions in life.
'His presence will be profoundly missed, and the void left by his absence will take a long time to come to terms with. 'I love you, Dad. Your memory will forever light my way.
CARLENE WILKIE 2014: Carlene made headlines smoking bongs with her pregnant daughter and shocked viewers by restricting Billie Jo to 'just' dope until the baby was born, and even giving her a cigarette during labour. Carlene revealed she had been on methadone when pregnant with Billie Jo, following a heroin addiction, and conceded that perhaps she might be the reason Billie Jo was on the wrong path. Carlene Wilkie has expressed disappointment that Billie Jo has continued to allegedly offend, and last year herself pleaded guilty to a minor cannabis possession charge Now : Carlene is living in western Sydney with a partner and pleaded guilty last year to possessing and cultivating a cannabis plant.
She has expressed disappointment that Billie Jo has continued to allegedly offend. CHLOE KENNEDY 2014: Chloe Kennedy, one of the cash-strapped Kennedy family's 10 children, revealed on Struggle Street that she had been bullied at school for her disabilities. The 18-year-old tearfully admitted she had tried to hang herself in her room at her parents' housing commission home in western Sydney.
Now: Chloe has had a baby and appears to be happy and healthy and in a good relationship with her family, including Shantelle Skeen, whose two young children from her former relationship with Chloe's brother Corey, are part of the wider Kennedy clan. Chloe Kennedy (left) with her young baby stands alongside family members including her dad Ashley Centre, in the wheelchair) and right, Shantelle, the ex-partner of jailed brother Corey Sydney Share or comment on this article: Australia couldn't look away when controversial reality TV show Struggle Street aired about battlers in the country's poorest suburbs. Here's the honest truth of where the stars of the show are today.
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