Question Time Makes Its Exciting Return to Bishop’s Stortford After Seven-Year Hiatus
Question Time, the flagship political debate program from the BBC, is making its highly anticipated return to Bishop’s Stortford. This event will occur on Thursday, October 16, marking nearly seven years since its last broadcast from the town. The program will be hosted by Fiona Bruce and will take place at The Bishop’s Stortford High School.
Key Details of the Event
The show gathers politicians, pundits, and commentators to engage in discussions based on questions from the audience. This year’s panel features:
- Heidi Alexander – Transport Secretary and Labour MP for Swindon South
- Helen Whately – Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary and Conservative MP for Faversham and Mid Kent
- Lisa Smart – Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson and MP for Hazel Grove
- Ash Sarkar – Political commentator
- Matthew Syed – Columnist for The Sunday Times and former Labour MP candidate
Audience Participation
Local residents who have been selected to attend the show are required to prepare two questions for Bruce to address to the panel. In addition, audience members must provide insights into their political views, including:
- Voting choices in the 2016 European Union referendum
- Voting records from the last General Election
- Hypothetical future voting intentions
Participants are also asked about their political party affiliations and any previous political activism. To ensure a balanced discussion, the BBC collects demographic information regarding age, sex, ethnicity, disabilities, and occupation.
Previous Engagements in Bishop’s Stortford
Question Time last aired in Bishop’s Stortford on December 6, 2018. The previous event was chaired by David Dimbleby and included notable figures such as:
- James Brokenshire MP – Conservative Housing Secretary
- Shami Chakrabarti – Labour’s Shadow Attorney General
- Ian Blackford MP – Leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster
- Jill Rutter – Director of the Institute for Government
- Charles Moore – Columnist and former newspaper editor
Broadcast Information
Viewers can watch the upcoming episode on the BBC News channel, BBC iPlayer, and BBC Sounds starting at 9 PM or tune in to BBC One at 10:40 PM.
With its return after a seven-year hiatus, Question Time promises to stimulate important discussions among the residents of Bishop’s Stortford and beyond.
