His family have claimed an estimated £342,000 in benefits over the last 18 years. But a jobless father who once tipped the scales at 26 stone has turned down jobs that recruitment consultants said he would be able to do. Philip Chawner, 56, who has been a full-time carer for his obese wife for the last 23 years, rejected posts offered to him in a television interview. Scroll down for video of Mr Chawner turning down work . Can't work: Philip Chawner turns down work offered to him by a recruitment consultant because of arthritis and a problem with his legs . Job offers: Recruitment consultant Christopher Lord offers work to Mr Chawner - but he says he can't do it . Mr Chawner, his wife Audrey and their two daughters once weighed a combined 83 stone and were dubbed 'the telly tubbies' by their neighbours in Blackburn, Lancashire. Their daughter Emma, 23, famously appeared on the X-Factor six years ago wearing a wedding-style dress made by her dad. She was kicked off after the first . audition, but not before the family were evicted from their previous . house after neighbours complained about her singing at 3am. Lorraine Kelly tried to get the whole family to slim down in a six-part television series called 'The Chawner Challenge' on the Biography channel. Mr Chawner, a registered carer who was once a lorry driver, said he has lost seven stone and the weight is still falling off - but he is still unable to work because of his medical problems. Obese family: Philip Chawner, his wife Audrey and daughters Emma (front right) and Sam (front left), pictured here with Lorraine Kelly (centre) once weighed a combined 83 stone and were dubbed 'the tele tubbies' by neighbours . Can't work: Philip Chawner and his wife Aubrey said they were unable to work because of their medical conditions . When jobs were offered to him by a local recruitment consultant on ITV's Daybreak, he insisted arthritis and a problem with his legs prevented him from doing physical labour. His daughters Sam and Emma did at least eventually land regular work last year. Recruitment consultant Christopher Lord told him: 'We have got a couple of agencies we would like to run past you. First one is a sprinter van driver with dry pet food products. Is that something that you would be able to do?' Too fat to work: Phillip and Audrey Chawner with Aled Jones and Lorraine Kelly on Daybreak this morning . Audition: Emma Chawner appeared on X-Factor - and was swiftly kicked off . But he replied: 'There would be a problem with lifting the bags, I've got problems with arthritis in my shoulder.' Mr Lord then offered him a second post. 'This is a film packing role - you would be on your feet for eight hours a day,' the recruiter said. Mr Chawner replied: 'Yes. I can't really stand on my feet very well because I have got this heat thing in my legs.' Pressed on whether he could in fact manage the work, he again insisted his shoulder was a problem. Mr Lord told Daybreak he believed the father-of-two was able to do some light work if he wanted to. 'We would be able to put him into a few roles fulfillment packing roles with light duties. I would say he would be able to carry those out. Whether he wants to I don't know.' Mr Chawner said he has been a 24-hour carer for his wife Audrey, 61, since 1990 because she suffers from a series of health problems including epilepsy. Former Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins attacked Mr and Mrs Chawner and said it wasn't right that taxpayers were paying for them to sit at home. She told them: 'I have no sympathy at all for your . situation. I think if you are obese or morbidly obese the . situation lies in your own hands. 'I think as a taxpayer, speaking for . other taxpayers out there I can't understand for one moment why we are . paying people £17,000 or £18,000 on average to stay at home, that doesn't seem . right to me.' She added that the family's situation will not sit well with people who go out of work to pay and pay taxes to fund their benefits. 'People are getting up at 6am to go to work they are getting home very late. They are missing putting their children to bed and they are missing the things they would like to do,' she added. 'What they are seeing in return is you are sitting on a sofa all day not going out to work but being supported by their taxes.' Attack: Businesswoman Katie Hopkins, right, said she had no sympathy for the parents who have claimed around £342,000 in benefits over the last 18 years .
Philip Chawner, 56, turned down two jobs in TV interview .
Obese family of four once weighed a combined 83 STONE .
Family were dubbed 'the telly tubbies' by neighbours in Blackburn .
Recruitment consultant insists Mr Chawner is able to work .
Family claim around £17,000 a year in benefits .
His family have claimed an estimated £342,000 in benefits over the last 18 years. But a jobless father who once tipped the scales at 26 stone has turned down jobs that recruitment consultants said he would be able to do. Philip Chawner, 56, who has been a full-time carer for his obese wife for the last 23 years, rejected posts offered to him in a television interview. Scroll down for video of Mr Chawner turning down work . Can't work: Philip Chawner turns down work offered to him by a recruitment consultant because of arthritis and a problem with his legs . Job offers: Recruitment consultant Christopher Lord offers work to Mr Chawner - but he says he can't do it . Mr Chawner, his wife Audrey and their two daughters once weighed a combined 83 stone and were dubbed 'the telly tubbies' by their neighbours in Blackburn, Lancashire. Their daughter Emma, 23, famously appeared on the X-Factor six years ago wearing a wedding-style dress made by her dad. She was kicked off after the first . audition, but not before the family were evicted from their previous . house after neighbours complained about her singing at 3am. Lorraine Kelly tried to get the whole family to slim down in a six-part television series called 'The Chawner Challenge' on the Biography channel. Mr Chawner, a registered carer who was once a lorry driver, said he has lost seven stone and the weight is still falling off - but he is still unable to work because of his medical problems. Obese family: Philip Chawner, his wife Audrey and daughters Emma (front right) and Sam (front left), pictured here with Lorraine Kelly (centre) once weighed a combined 83 stone and were dubbed 'the tele tubbies' by neighbours . Can't work: Philip Chawner and his wife Aubrey said they were unable to work because of their medical conditions . When jobs were offered to him by a local recruitment consultant on ITV's Daybreak, he insisted arthritis and a problem with his legs prevented him from doing physical labour. His daughters Sam and Emma did at least eventually land regular work last year. Recruitment consultant Christopher Lord told him: 'We have got a couple of agencies we would like to run past you. First one is a sprinter van driver with dry pet food products. Is that something that you would be able to do?' Too fat to work: Phillip and Audrey Chawner with Aled Jones and Lorraine Kelly on Daybreak this morning . Audition: Emma Chawner appeared on X-Factor - and was swiftly kicked off . But he replied: 'There would be a problem with lifting the bags, I've got problems with arthritis in my shoulder.' Mr Lord then offered him a second post. 'This is a film packing role - you would be on your feet for eight hours a day,' the recruiter said. Mr Chawner replied: 'Yes. I can't really stand on my feet very well because I have got this heat thing in my legs.' Pressed on whether he could in fact manage the work, he again insisted his shoulder was a problem. Mr Lord told Daybreak he believed the father-of-two was able to do some light work if he wanted to. 'We would be able to put him into a few roles fulfillment packing roles with light duties. I would say he would be able to carry those out. Whether he wants to I don't know.' Mr Chawner said he has been a 24-hour carer for his wife Audrey, 61, since 1990 because she suffers from a series of health problems including epilepsy. Former Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins attacked Mr and Mrs Chawner and said it wasn't right that taxpayers were paying for them to sit at home. She told them: 'I have no sympathy at all for your . situation. I think if you are obese or morbidly obese the . situation lies in your own hands. 'I think as a taxpayer, speaking for . other taxpayers out there I can't understand for one moment why we are . paying people £17,000 or £18,000 on average to stay at home, that doesn't seem . right to me.' She added that the family's situation will not sit well with people who go out of work to pay and pay taxes to fund their benefits. 'People are getting up at 6am to go to work they are getting home very late. They are missing putting their children to bed and they are missing the things they would like to do,' she added. 'What they are seeing in return is you are sitting on a sofa all day not going out to work but being supported by their taxes.' Attack: Businesswoman Katie Hopkins, right, said she had no sympathy for the parents who have claimed around £342,000 in benefits over the last 18 years .
turned down jobs that recruitment consultants said he would be able to do. Philip Chawner, 56, offers: Recruitment consultant Christopher Lord do it . Mr Chawner, his wife Audrey and their two were dubbed 'the telly tubbies' by their neighbours in Blackburn, Lancashire. Their Obese family: Philip Chawner, his wife Audrey and once weighed a combined 83 stone and were dubbed unable to work because of their medical