BBC Question Time host Fiona Bruce was forced to ask the audience to “forgive me” minutes before the politics show came to an end. On Thursday night (November 20), the 61-year-old presenter returned to the politics programme. This week, the show broadcast live from Loughborough with a brand-new panel who faced the audience’s live questions about the nation’s biggest issues.
The veteran broadcaster welcomed Labour’s Stephen Kinnock, Conservative Joe Robertson, Liberal Democrat Josh Barbarinde, and comedian Zoe Lyons onto the show. It didn’t take long before the debate kicked off between the panel as they discussed the ongoing migrant crisis and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout the show, Fiona attempted to approach as many members of the audience who wished to participate within the hour-long show, but time ran away from her, leaving many guests disappointed that their questions weren’t heard.
Before she closed out the show, the presenter issued a sincere apology to those whom she missed on the show. She stated: “I’m afraid to say that we are pretty much out of time, and I know a lot of you have got your hands up, so I’m so sorry I’m not getting round to more of you.
“But listen, thank you very much to the panel for coming along this evening, thank you to all of you for putting your questions to us. As I said, apologies to those of you whom I didn’t get to.”
It comes after the show descended into chaos last week as viewers blasted the broadcaster for brushing aside a row over its own alleged political bias. Fiona fronted the show live from London, but it was a single question that set tempers flaring.
She asked: “Can we trust the BBC?” which sparked a tense exchange over the issue, but within minutes the show moved on, with host Fiona claiming there “wasn’t enough time” to focus on the topic.
The comment left those watching at home furious that the debate had barely been touched, and viewers didn’t hold back. One raged: “CORRUPT #bbcqt spent less than 10 minutes on BBC bias/LIES, as predicted, all swept under the carpet again. #DefundTheBBC.”
Another blasted: “Astonishing to me that BBCQT spent a mere few minutes discussing their OWN bias on their OWN show that’s about debate and opinion. What a sham they are. #defundthebbc #bbcqt.”
The anger was fuelled by renewed scrutiny over the BBC’s handling of a Donald Trump speech after Panorama was accused of selectively editing footage to make it appear he encouraged the January 6, US Capitol attack. The edition, aired just a week before the 2024 US election, spliced together clips of a speech Trump delivered that day.
