Vacant seats bemuse viewers as BBC Question Time as panellists fail to show up
Viewers of BBC One’s Question Time were left bemused last night after two members of its discussion panel failed to show up when their train was delayed by a fire.
Veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby was forced to apologise for the embarrassingly vacant chairs at his side when Labour Peer Baroness Bakewell – former TV presenter Joan Bakewell - and blogger Tim Stanley failed to appear on time.
It prompted an immediate backlash amongst viewers surprised by the amateurishness of the show producers in failing to line-up stand in speakers.
The show was left struggling after a trackside fire caused major disruptions to the West Coast mainline – severing the guests access to the BBC’s Salford studios.
One viewer, Lou Haley, tweeted: ‘This is worse than local TV. Is there no-one in Salford with even half a brain to pad the panel. Remember the heady days when the BBC resided in LDN (London).’
Another disgruntled viewer claimed it was the ‘worst ever’ edition of the politics show.