The BBC has been criticised for its “ambush” of Zia Yusuf during their latest broadcast of Question Time after he was told just “minutes before” that the audience would contain illegal migrants.

Analysing the episode on GB News, Christopher Hope said there was “no wonder” Mr Yusuf was upset by the events of the show.

Expressing his outrage following the episode, Reform UK’s policy chief told the People’s Channel: “How on earth can it be deemed appropriate that people who broke into this country illegally should have a seat at the table?

“In a political discussion about illegal immigration on a BBC immigration special, it is so bewildering that in the car home, I genuinely had to sit there and just try to reassure myself that this did actually happen. I felt like I was on The Truman Show or something.”

Highlighting the “strange” events of the programme, Christopher told GB News: “I’m trying to understand why on earth they had actual asylum seekers in the audience.

“Now, Question Time goes round the country like we do, trying to find what people think about where they live, but to bring in people who arrived by a small boat to ask questions of mainly Zia Yusuf, because the other panellists were broadly supportive, it does seem strange.”

Defending Mr Yusuf’s outrage at the special, Christopher added: “He clearly felt shocked and surprised.”

Revealing that the Reform member had shared more details with him live on-air, Christopher said: “He has just been texting me while I’m on-air, and was told by Fiona Bruce just before he went on air that they had brought some small boat migrants to the put in the audience.

The BBC has been criticised for its “ambush” of Zia Yusuf during their latest broadcast of Question Time after he was told just “minutes before” that the audience would contain illegal migrants.

Analysing the episode on GB News, Christopher Hope said there was “no wonder” Mr Yusuf was upset by the events of the show.

Expressing his outrage following the episode, Reform UK’s policy chief told the People’s Channel: “How on earth can it be deemed appropriate that people who broke into this country illegally should have a seat at the table?

“In a political discussion about illegal immigration on a BBC immigration special, it is so bewildering that in the car home, I genuinely had to sit there and just try to reassure myself that this did actually happen. I felt like I was on The Truman Show or something.”

Highlighting the “strange” events of the programme, Christopher told GB News: “I’m trying to understand why on earth they had actual asylum seekers in the audience.

“Now, Question Time goes round the country like we do, trying to find what people think about where they live, but to bring in people who arrived by a small boat to ask questions of mainly Zia Yusuf, because the other panellists were broadly supportive, it does seem strange.”

Defending Mr Yusuf’s outrage at the special, Christopher added: “He clearly felt shocked and surprised.”

Revealing that the Reform member had shared more details with him live on-air, Christopher said: “He has just been texting me while I’m on-air, and was told by Fiona Bruce just before he went on air that they had brought some small boat migrants to the put in the audience.

Featured Comment

SA

Sharon Allen
Member

Typical bbc behaviour, id ditch the BBC, u don’t need them .All bull S@@t anyway

Christopher Hope hit out at the BBC’s ‘ambush’ of Zia Yusuf during their latest episode of Question Time

 | BBC / GB NEWS

“Now you know how TV works, they plan these things weeks out or days out, certainly days out for a weekly show. I’m surprised it was just before he went on. That sounds like an ambush to me, and no wonder he’s so upset about it.”

Questioning why Mr Yusuf was told about the migrant guests at such short notice, Christopher said: “I wonder why he was told just before he went on air.

“If that was the programme, I think you tell the person who they’re targeting. They’re targeting a Reform UK politician with the real lived experience of an asylum seeker.

“Clearly, Zia was upset and shocked. He sat in his car on the way home and said it was like was on ‘a fictional TV film called The Truman Show.’