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Question Time (television)

Question Time
BBC Question Time.png
Question Time title sequence
Genre Politics
Presented by David Dimbleby (1994–)
Robin Day (1979–1989)
Peter Sissons (1989–1993)
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 1,334 (as of 6 April 2017) (list of episodes)
Production
Running time 60 minutes
Production company(s) Mentorn
Release
Original network BBC One
Picture format 576i (16:9 SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Original release 25 September 1979 (1979-09-25) – present
Chronology
Related shows Any Questions?
The Big Questions
Question Time Extra
Young Voters Question Time
Schools Question Time
BBC Free Speech
External links
Website

Question Time is a BBC topical debate television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions? The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer pre-selected questions put to them by an audience selected on the basis of its political views and demographic. The independent production company Mentorn has made the programme for the BBC since 1998.Question Time is presented by David Dimbleby.

It is usually recorded about two hours prior to transmission, but occasionally it has been broadcast live.

Until 2010, BBC One Northern Ireland replaced Question Time with the more local debate show Let's Talk at least once a month hosted by Mark Carruthers, but this show has been axed and brought under the Spotlight brand. It is now shown once a month on Tuesday night with Noel Thompson. Nowadays BBC One NI have their own political show called The View: this is broadcast live from 10.35pm to 11.05pm, presented by Mark Carruthers, and is followed by Question Time. Occasionally, if Question Time is made in Northern Ireland, it would be broadcast at the same time as the rest of the UK; as in September 2011 when it was broadcast from Derry, and in May 2013 when the programme was from Belfast.

Although the show is intended for UK viewers, it is occasionally seen on BBC World News as news events warrant. Additionally, the episode which originally aired just a week before the 2015 UK general election was seen on the US channel C-SPAN.

Question Time began on Tuesday 25 September 1979, as a television version of the BBC Radio 4 programme Any Questions?. Originally intended to have only a short run, the programme became very popular and was duly extended. The guests on the very first show were Edna O'Brien, Teddy Taylor, Michael Foot and Derek Worlock, Archbishop of Liverpool. From 21 February 1980 the series moved to its current Thursday-night slot and became fully networked within BBC, with Scotland and Northern Ireland broadcasting the series from this point onwards.


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