Frequently Asked Questions

Each week Question Time aims to select a panel with a broad range of views, knowledge and experience, with panellists who are relevant to the big stories or debates of that week.

Question Time is rooted in politics and therefore has to achieve fair and appropriate representation from the various political parties across the UK.

This means there will nearly always be a representative from the UK government and the official opposition on the panel.

The panel will also feature representatives from other political parties across the series, taking as our guide the level of electoral support at national level which each party enjoys.

Sometimes parties may be represented by politicians who conspicuously do not support their party leadership – this too will be on a consistent basis.

The composition of the panel varies week to week, but across each series there is a range of politicians, journalists, and public figures from the arts, business and elsewhere, to add a variety of perspectives and represent a breadth of viewpoints.

No – the first time the panel hear the questions is when the audience member asks them.

Question Time is a national programme which must be relevant to audiences across the UK.

Question Time is broadcast from all round the country to make sure that a broad cross-section of audiences have the chance to take part directly and that a diverse range of British opinion is represented in the studio audience.

Audience members write and ask questions which they feel are relevant to both the local area and of national interest.

Question Time selects local audiences which reflect a broad range of political views. People apply to be in the audience for Question Time via the website and by phone and producers get in touch to ask questions on their previous voting record and future voting intentions, whether they have party political membership and also how they voted in the EU Referendum. This is to ensure a range of views are represented in the audience. Occasionally, if production staff feel any group or view is under-represented in the applications, they will promote the programme through relevant local media channels to encourage people to apply.

Question Time is a national programme which must be relevant to audiences across the UK. A diverse range of British opinion must be represented. In observing due impartiality, political fairness, and our intent to represent that wide range of views, our audience broadly reflects the electoral map of the nation in which we are broadcasting. That is primarily guided by past and present electoral support, with the most recent general election of most importance. We might also give some consideration to local political sentiment.

Audience members write and submit questions on the night. The production team chooses questions which represent the most popular topics. Throughout the programme, audience members are also given the opportunity by the chair to ask further spontaneous questions to the panel, or, of course, to make their own comments.

Question Time is broadcast live on iPlayer at 8pm every Thursday. This is recorded and then transmitted after the news at 1040pm on BBC1. The first time the panellists hear the questions is when they are asked by the audience. They are never forewarned.

On very rare occasions some exchanges have to be edited for legal or taste/decency reasons, or if the recording runs over the allotted programme time.