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BBC’s Question Time has once again been hit by claims of bias. The Fiona Bruce-fronted show sees a panel of carefully selected politicians and TV personalities join her to discuss the latest in government and how the decisions of those in charge impact the nation.

Thursday evening’s episode was hosted in Clacton, Nigel Farage’s constituency. However, the mouthpiece politician was nowhere to be seen, sparking outrage amongst fans. Instead, former star of The Apprentice Thomas Skinner was on the panel alongside Labour’s Jake Richards, Tory MP Tom Tugendhat and Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran. Speculation from viewers online suggested that Skinner was there in place of Farage, who was heavily criticised for being “absent”.

As a result, in response to the claims, the BBC has taken the rare decision to issue a statement on the Reform Leader’s lack of appearance on the political programme.

Express.co.uk contacted the BBC, which released its own statement on X defending Farage. The post said: “There is a longstanding policy on Question Time not to invite MPs on in their local constituencies unless it’s for a single-issue special programme. This is why Mike Tapp MP appeared on the panel in his constituency for the immigration special in Dover.”

However, fans have remained displeased as some pointed out that former Clacton MP Giles Watling appeared on Question Time previously, when it was broadcast from Clacton in 2018, while he was the MP.

Many fans slammed the programme as “biased”, with one viewer writing: “Not only do you invite Farage on regularly, you even make a special defence when he doesn’t want to come. Total bias.”

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