Talk:Question Time (TV programme)

BNP blanket ban...
Is this true? As I understand it the BBC stated back in 2006 they weren't banned per se, but that they did not have a significant enough vote to justify inclusion, specifically having members of the European parliament was mentioned, which would then initiate a review for their inclusion in the programme -- milkmeister 09:33, 14 June 2008 (UTC)

They have appeared now, as discussed in the article 82.31.90.4 (talk) 22:21, 14 January 2011 (UTC)

Tears...
I watched the episode after 9/11, but I don't remember any tears being shed by the American Ambassador, can anyone verify it or state a source? -- Joolz 22:04, 2 Apr 2005 (UTC)

"recording"?
I notice references to things happening when "recording" had finished. I was under the impression that QT is transmitted live via London, except where it is "time-shifted" by the regions (BBC Wales in particular have a nasty habit of inserting such things as Dragon's Eye or Belonging, depending on the season) &mdash; in particular, doesn't Dimbleby read out a selection of email and text messages received during the programme at various points? 81.104.165.184 18:00, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

You are incorrect. Dimbleby invites viewers' email and text contributions which are then published on- screen via "red button" digital services. It is recorded, then edited, earlier that evening.


 * I don't know if things have changed but when I was in the audience in 2003 (in Stratford) it was pretty much live - perhaps a slight time delay of a few minutes but it certainly wasn't recorded earlier in the evening. Having said that, some editions clearly are recorded in advance (particularly special editions) as the 10 o'clock news has sometimes run stories about what's been said on the show. Timrollpickering 22:30, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

The programme is almost always recorded a couple of hours before broadcast. It is broadcast "as live", which means that an hour is recorded with the panel and audience and it goes out as is (minus anything legally not broadcastable). -- 28 Jan 2012

Merge Peruvian earthworms here
I don't feel the Peruvian earthworms topic should have a page by itself.. it is essentially cruft, and the main QT article is still short enough that it would make more sense to merge it. Zargulon 08:49, 13 August 2006 (UTC)

==Removed link to Peruvian earthworms.

9/11 paragraph needing sources
Please find sources for the following paragraph, which has been marked with two Citations Neededs for a while —


 * The programme broadcast on September 13, 2001, which was devoted to the political implications of the 9/11 attacks that had occurred two days before, featured many contributions from the audience taking the view that such attacks had been made inevitable by the course of United States foreign policy. When opinions were expressed that were critical of America, certain sections of the audience became carried away in agreement, and despite David Dimbleby's efforts, their contribution degenerated from debate into a prolonged and humiliating attack on America and Americans. Although the temporary breakdown of order is not unknown on Question Time, the event struck many as particularly insensitive given the recent nature of tragedy, leading to questions about the wisdom of screening a live edition at such a time. A member of the panel, Philip Lader, the former US ambassador to Britain, was reported in several publications as being "near tears" during the broadcast. The BBC received over 2,000 complaints about the edition and later apologised to viewers for causing offence, stating that the edition should have been recorded and edited.

Sincerely, GeorgeLouis 07:20, 31 October 2006 (UTC)


 * Here is a reference for the second: Stop this racism, The Guardian, 17 September 2001


 * "I did not see the BBC's Question Time last week. Part of the studio audience bayed at America and slow-handclapped the former US Ambassador Philip Lader, reducing that man almost to tears just 48 hours after his people had suffered the worst attack in their history."


 * and another: BBC chief apologises for terror debate, BBC News, 15 September 2001


 * "More than 2,000 viewers rang the corporation to complain about the current affairs programme, during which strong anti-American sentiments were expressed by many members of the studio audience." and "Mr Lader had looked close to tears."


 * HTH. -- ALoan (Talk) 10:58, 31 October 2006 (UTC)

Peruvian earthworms quote
The SMS message that started off the whole Peruvian Earthworms thing is misquoted. I cannot remember the exact text, but the text quoted in the article is definitely not right, and shouldn't be presented as a direct quotation. They commented that their book on Peruvian Earthworms appeared very attractive - they did NOT say that they were going to go back to reading it as quoted. Any objections to removing the quote marks? 217.155.138.250 20:36, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:BBCquestiontime2005.PNG
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 * I edited this page on July 9, 2009 after the Schools Programme had been broadcast.Just in case any one insists on a source, I should say that this information can be found on the BBC website. I put in a reference to BBC Three, where this programme was first broadcast, but it will be broadcast on several other channels. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 23:16, 9 July 2009 (UTC)

Record viewing figures
There's a lot of confusion on this because of seemingly sloppy reporting in the media. Remember that when QT launched there were only three channels (one of which was out of action due to strikes at the very beginning) and limited VCR penetration, in an era when 3.8 million was considered low and it's doubtful the show would have been considered a success and taken off.

This Guardian article suggests the 3.8m record only applied to the modern, multi-channel era of the last decade and before that viewing figures were higher, which seems a lot more sensible than most reports. Does anyone know of a good source beyond hack journalism for 1980s and 1990s viewing figures? Timrollpickering (talk) 16:27, 22 November 2009 (UTC)

Bigger than the X Factor - NOT TRUE
I have just deleted the piece which restates the bogus claim that BBC Question Time's Twitter hashtag was "bigger than the X Factor". The media have got this completely wrong and the misquoting continues. See my detailed rebuttal of the claim at http://pubqt.wordpress.com/2010/11/25/bigger-than-the-x-factor/ Cluetrainee (talk) 12:32, 23 June 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cluetrainee (talk • contribs) 10:36, 23 June 2011 (UTC)


 * It might not be true but it has been claimed so surely the article should say that it has been claimed that it is more popular than the x factor. Wilbur2012(talk) 21:00, 25 June 2011 (UTC)  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wilbur2012 (talk • contribs)

No Of Episodes
Is the number of episodes (1102) true IMDB claim there has been 1096. Is anyone counting? Wilbur2012(talk) 20:56, 25 June 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wilbur2012 (talk • contribs)

Hi I know your comment is 6 years old but yes I have created a list see User:Kelvin 101/List of Question Time episodes I will change the number of episodes which is currently at 1,356 to reflect the true amount of 1,345 as of 9 November 2017. Thanks Kelvin 101 (talk) 15:55, 12 November 2017 (UTC)

Junior question time
Wasn't there a junior version of the programme at one time? If there was, it could go in the article. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 00:41, 24 February 2012 (UTC)

OK, I see there is now reference, in Section 8.1, to a "Schools Edition". Either that has been added since I made that comment or I missed it when I looked at this earlier! ACEOREVIVED (talk) 00:30, 23 March 2012 (UTC)

Great serial?
Serial killer Dennis Nilsen was, allegedly, once a member of the studio audience. He had been primed to ask a question but wasn't called. . This might be added. One wonders what the question may have been. Martinevans123 (talk) 20:20, 22 May 2012 (UTC)
 * I think that the fact he did not actually ask the question might rule out the relevance of this. Lots of people have been in the audience over the years and I am sure many there are many notorious individuals amongst them.  My fear would be a section that random editors could constantly add names of half-noteworthy people who were once in the audience. Uvghifds (talk) 22:12, 22 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Sounds like a great new Category to me. But you are probably right. Most of those politicians are pretty notorious. The BBC might know what Nilsen's question was (but very unlikely), or at least which episode it was. I am assuming it must have been a London one. Martinevans123 (talk) 22:22, 22 May 2012 (UTC)
 * Probably wanting to know what the politicians were going to do to get his drains cleared.Paulturtle (talk) 16:28, 8 April 2021 (UTC)

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"SNP"?
In the Format section, this article states "Question Time began with a panel of four guests, usually one member from each of the three major parties (Conservatives, Labour and SNP) and another public figure".

At the time QT started, the SNP were not the third-largest party. It was less than six months after Margaret Thatcher was elected, not last week.

Plus - for some strange reason - the article lacks a "Controversy" section, Instead it's wrapping this up in an absurdly 'politically correct' "Famous Episodes" section. Whilst it might be a "living" programme - as in still being produced - it doesn't need treated with the kid gloves of BLP. --Brian McNeil /talk 13:53, 1 March 2018 (UTC)

Fiona Bruce
I don't see how Bruce can be shown as a presenter of Question Time when she has never yet presented it and when the series in which she will have her debut does not start until next year. I think it's quite fair that the announcement of her future position is added to the article. But to include her in the infobox, with a date of 2018, seems wrong. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:06, 7 December 2018 (UTC)

Excessive linking
Is it me, but the first three sections of this article seem has pointless links to other Wikipedia articles: For example, under Presenters, Robin Day the following items are linked: "News Presenter" "Chairman" "Popularity" "Wit" "Interrogation" "Catchphrase" "London Bridge" "Paris"

This and repeated linking to the same articles turns the article into a hyperlinked car crash.

Johnkenyon (talk) 13:04, 2 October 2019 (UTC)