THE BBC will broadcast a second Question Time leaders’ special, it has been announced, because the first one won’t have Nigel Farage in it.
The BBC spelled out its plans for a second Question Time special on Tuesday, two days ahead of its first planned broadcast.
Labour leader Keir Starmer, SNP leader John Swinney, Tory leader Rishi Sunak, and LibDem leader Ed Davey are all due to join Fiona Bruce for the first Question Time broadcast on Thursday, June 20.
The BBC has now announced that there will also be a second Question Time leaders’ special broadcast on June 28, this time with Farage included.
The Green Party have also been invited to attend, the BBC said.
Reform UK leader Farage is also due to speak to Nick Robinson for a special leader’s Panorama interview on Friday, June 21, it has now been confirmed.
Farage had been due to be interviewed by Robinson last week but pulled out on the day.
A statement from the public broadcaster said: “The BBC has been keeping its programme schedules under review during the General Election campaign.
“This added [Question Time] programme, and the changed peak-time scheduling slot for the Panorama interview, reflects the fact that it is clear from across a broad range of opinion polls that the support for Reform UK has been growing.
“As a public service broadcaster the BBC recognises that the policies and proposals of the party deserve scrutiny at a time convenient for mass audiences.
“In the interests of fairness we have offered the same scheduling opportunity to the Green Party.”
The news comes after Farage faced questioning on Reform candidates’ links to fascists in a grilling on Good Morning Britain.
He was challenged on reports that 41 of his party’s candidates were “friends” on Facebook with British neo-fascist leader Gary Raikes, the founder of the New British Union.
Farage claimed the links arose because “most of our candidates are not political sophisticates”.
Elsewhere, research published on Monday found that over nine years Question Time had an over-reliance on platforming right-wing voices from the media.
