Question Time is coming to Lincolnshire

This is the fourth time that the political panel show has been filmed from the charity-run arts centre and it will be the fourth edition of Question Time since Fiona Bruce became the programme’s new host.

At a highly significant moment in British political history with 57 days until Brexit, the programme promises to be a highly charged debate in the city.

Lincoln Drill Hall has been hosting community and social events throughout its history which goes back to 1890 when it was built as a military drill hall.

Since 2010, Lincoln Drill Hall has been run by a charitable trust and has received a significant amount of public funding. After budget cuts in recent years however, the venue is increasingly dependent on donations to maintain its programme of arts performances, participation programmes and community engagement projects. The venue‘s highly flexible auditorium enables it to host large shows and television broadcasts such as Question Time as well as smaller, more intimate performances.

Joining the Question Time panel are Chief Executive of Siemens UK, Juergen Mair, Associate Editor of the Telegraph, Camilla Tominey, Former Liverpool and England footballer, John Barnes, Labour Shadow Justice Secretary, Richard Burgon and Conservative Vice Chair for Women, Helen Whately.

The programme comes just two days after MPs narrowly voted in favour of changing the backstop to the EU withdrawal agreement and signalled their opposition to a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

BBC Question Time is the second high-profile BBC programme to be broadcast from Lincoln Drill Hall in the last year. In August, the arts centre was the only venue outside of London to host a BBC Prom.

Chief Executive of Lincoln Drill Hall, Chris Kirkwood said: “We really love hosting BBC Question Time and it’s always a real buzz. We’ve had guests from across the political spectrum taking part in programmes that were filmed here before and they were really good and fiery debates so I can’t wait to see tonight’s show. Of course, the real stars of Question Time are the people in the audience and I’m sure the people of Lincoln will do us proud.

“Hosting a nationally broadcast TV show like this is a really big thing for us. We’re proud of the role we play in enabling this programme to come to Lincoln city centre and hosting a programme that’s broadcast to millions really raises our profile and puts us on the map. We depend on donations from the public to continue our work and this year is particularly challenging for us so hopefully this will help to remind people of the great things we do.”

Previous editions of BBC Question Time at Lincoln Drill Hall have featured politicians including Nigel Farage, Anna Soubry and Caroline Lucas as well as historians Mary Beard and David Starkey.

The studio audience for BBC Question Time is drawn from members of the public who have complete a short form on the BBC website. Successful applicants will have been contacted by the BBC this week.

You can watch BBC Question Time on BBC One at 10.45pm and on BBC Radio 5 Live or watch it on BBC iPlayer.

You can find out more about Lincoln Drill Hall by visiting www.lincolndrillhall.com.