Question Time with Fiona Bruce

Crumbs, varian, I had no idea. There do sometimes seem to some career right-wingers in the QT audiences (and Any Questions) but assumed that they were just keener to turn up and liked the sound of their own voices.

It is not just the Question Time audience that is selected to be pro-brexit, just look at the inclusion of MEPs on the QT panel

twitter.com/JPCherr/status/1048904410703777792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1049649904652574721&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theneweuropean.co.uk%2Ftop-stories%2Fare-all-meps-on-question-time

trisher

I think that is a red herring as QT always has a panel of 5 and 3 are from the left of politics and 2 are from the right.

The UKIP names would have been on QT as Leave panelists, why not ? The balanced, factual evidence and question would be ' When a UKIP panelist appeared how many Remain or Leave panelists were on that particular programme?

Mind you as with the 3/2 disparity which always favours the left of politics QT does the same with Remain / Leave panelists in favour of Remain panelists.

That's why QT should be unbiased and have either a 2/2 or 3/3 evenly distributed panel who come from both left and right of politics or Remain or Leave panelists.

It is not just a question of left and right. The centre of the political spectrum is rarely represented and I hardly ever here anyone express what I and so many others feel about the disaster that is brexit.

Yes, you sometimes get a politician who says they were a remainer but "we must respect the result of the referendum". I don't respect it at all. It was ill- conceived, fraudulent and won by cheating and lies and the only reason that it has not been annulled is because it was advisory. It was not, and never could be "an instruction from the people" We live in a parliamentary democracy.

There are many examples of pro-brexit bias on the part of the BBC. QT is only one, but allowing Alison Fuller Pedley to select the audience for twenty years is an utter disgrace.

POGS what????
I think your constant need to contradict me, even when I haven't said anything, is showing

varian that is very enlightening, although somehow not surprising. I have found the BBC coverage since the referendum generally biased in favour of the leave campaign, but friends who are leavers won't watch it because they think the opposite. I suppose we see bias according to our pre formed beliefs, I admit that I do.

The BBC has always shrugged off accusations of bias by saying if left and right both accuse them of bias , it proves the BBC is unbiased. It does not.

Bring back David Dimbleby - I thought he was perfect for the role.

David Dimbleby could never disguise his political allegience.

He was, like Andrew Neil, a Tory through and through, and an ardent enthusiastic advocate of brexit.

His brother Jonathon, as question master on Any Questions, did a better job of disguising his own views, and I am sorry to see him stepping down from that role.

I'm surprised at the negative comments regarding Fiona Bruce. I really like the way she handles the panel and the audience, cutting off panellists who are waffling or not answering the question. I had pretty much stopped watching until she took over, but now try to watch every week.
As the audience are an integral part of the programme (unlike Question of Sport et al), it makes sense to me that they try to select a balanced group.

It would make more sense if the audience was properly balanced and not selected by ex UKIP member Alison Fuller Pedley.

I liked David Dimbleby. If he interrupted a speaker it was only to point out inconsistencies in what he/she was saying, with reference to what he/she had said and done in the past.

I like Fiona Bruce on Antiques Roadshow but I don't think she's suitable for Question Time. I thought it was time for a woman to head up this programme but I think there were far better qualified candidates for the job. Women who have great experience in political broadcasting and who have a much better knowledge of current affairs
- such as Kirsty Wark, Emily Maitlis, and, my personal favourite, Anita Anand (previous stints on Daily Politics and now presents Any Answers).

I agree Eloethan . Any one of these serious TV presenters, who are more knowledgeable than Fiona Bruce, but perhaps not so glamorous, would have done a better job.

Yes it's true that women TV presenters have to look attractive, and stick thin. It's annoying the way they have to stand at the beginning of the news, displaying themselves, ........it's not a fashion parade, and it just shows how far women still have to go to be taken seriously, even in the 21st century.

Apparently TV makes people look fatter so the only acceptable shape for a presenter, especially a female one, is, stick thin. It is quite hard to think of any woman on tv who is of average size.

I don't like Bruce's style, but I wasn't that keen on Dimbleby either. Maybe she needs time to settle into the role and make it her own. She might mature, like a fine wine....

Agree with those who've pointed out how women presenters are mainly thin and glossy-looking. I'd like to see someone like Mary Beard in the job.

Mary Beard could never remain impartial!!

I used to like Dimbleby's ties - always interesting to see what he was wearing . He still has a nice head of hair too.
It makes a change from commenting on the appearance of women presenters.

Jalima well, maybe not, but it would make for an incredibly interesting debate!

trisher

I owe you an apology re your post Sat 02-Mar-19 11:59:33.
It was Varian I should have addressed.

My point remains however . Question Time has a distorted panel week in week out by having 5 panelists 3 left and 2 right of politics.

I think whom ever produces the show is doing a poor job but for the opposite reason , it is biased toward the left of politics. How that fits with the Allison Fuller Pedley charge of being some sort of right wing fanatic eludes me but I fully take on board the the point made.

Why shouldn't the likes of Melanie Phillips , a perfectly respectable journalist, be on QT? Why should Nigel Forage not be on QT? As long as there is a an opposite opinion why is it a problem?

The panel should be either 4 or 6 in number and to stop the opinion it is biased it should be of equal distribution of panelists that come from the left/right /centre of politics.

Time to rethink QT in general and I think they missed an opportunity to stop those both from the left and right of politics calling it biased against them.

Ken Clarke Nails Brexit

www.youtube.com/watch?v=g96iQBwFVXM

An old QT from 2016. An old one but a good one. Ken Clarke talks sense, tells it like it is (and is shouted down by an ignorant brexit supporter who cannot stand being told the truth)

Wasn't sure if my BP could take another QT- and especially that awful woman journalist, Julia Hartley.

But we did- and wondered who was that guy with a pink sweater who was shouting and ranting and frothing at the mouth- and why she didn't get him thrown out.

I thought he was not 'just another audience' and was right

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3580931/amp/Celebrity-lawyer-bought-designer-chemsex-drugs-BBC-producer-killed-teenage-boyfriend-spared-jail.html?fbclid=IwAR3vY7-NBX-mdRTFlFjetC5tOazGLY_inh_otPvl9P7IvAKK2W3x-Xklfbk

Well spotted Jura. The QT audience producer Alison Fuller-Pedley certainly knows how to pick them.

I cannot understand how she can still be in post- when we all know that she is part and parcel of UKIP and the Leave Campaign.

I have been in the Question Time audience twice. They happened to be filming in the towns where I lived on two occasions and I was invited along. I had to apply, obviously.

The form asks you to pose a question for the panelists. I think there was also a tick box to indicate which which way you'd vote in a particular situation. The people in the audience who ask the questions aren't plants. We all knew beforehand who had been successful in having their questions picked. Then the cameramen, etc, needed to know where they were sitting, as did the sound engineers.

We knew who was on the panel on the day

David Dimbleby was very nice. On both occasions he came to the room where the audience had gathered and spoke to us about what to expect. He was very genial.