Myleene Klass documentary Single Mums on Benefits branded 'patronising' by viewers

'Myleene Klass telling single mums how she 'knows their struggle' whilst flashing her £8k #Rolex in their faces,' wrote one viewer

Viewers have criticised Klass for arriving to meet single mother’s in a SUV car and wearing an expensive designer coat (Getty Images)

A documentary about single mothers featuring Myleene Klass has been branded “patronising” by viewers because of the gap between Klass' wealth and the women she interviewed.

The 38-year-old singer, pianist and model, appeared in a one-off documentary broadcast on ITV on Tuesday evening.

Myleene Klass: Single Mums on Benefits saw Klass travel the country to meet single mums and “investigate the truth about single mums who receive benefits”.

Klass is also a single mother and has been raising her daughters Ava, eight, and Hero, five, on her own since her marriage to Graham Quinn ended in 2012, just six months after their wedding.

Viewers have criticised Klass for arriving to meet single mother’s in an SUV car and wearing an expensive designer coat.

“Myleene Klass telling single mums how she 'knows their struggle' whilst flashing her £8k #Rolex in their faces,” wrote one user.

Another said, “Parading around in a big jeep, which fair enough she worked for, but way to make someone on benefits feel good”.

"Finding it a bit patronising millionaire Myleene Klass doing a programme about single mum's. Not exactly the real world," wrote one viewer. Another added, "I don't think I've ever seen anything so ridiculous / patronising".

One individual also argued it was hypocritical of Klass to oppose the mansion tax yet speak on behalf of single mothers. In November 2014, Klass criticised Ed Miliband for his plans for a tax on properties worth more than £2m. She said the levy would hit “little grannies who have lived in those houses for years and years.”

But Gingerbread, a charity campaigning on behalf of single parents, was more positive about Klass’ show and commended the singer for raising awareness of the issue.

“Myleene’s focus last night was a welcome one,” the Director of Policy Dalia Ben-Galim told The Independent. “It helped to shine a spotlight on some of the challenges facing Britain’s two million single-parent households.”

“There are many issues that single parents have to overcome on a daily basis that are difficult to communicate in a one-hour documentary,” she continued. “A lack flexible jobs, the high cost of childcare, cuts to welfare support and mounting child maintenance arrears are just a few of the hurdles facing Britain’s single parents, who represent one in four families in Britain.”

“But it was encouraging to see a primetime documentary attempt to bust some of the many myths and counter the constant stigma towards single parents in the media,” she added.

A representative for Klass did not immediately respond to request for comment.