First stars of Question Time

QUESTION Who appeared on TV’s first Question Time?

Question time was first broadcast on BBC1 on tuesday, september 25, 1979.

the chairman was Robin Day and the panellists were irish novelist edna o’Brien, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool Derek Worlock, former Conservative MP teddy taylor and Labour MP Michael Foot.

o’Brien wrote the Country Girls in 1960, which broke many taboos in ireland by discussing sex and social issues. the irish censor banned the book, and her parents’ parish priest burned copies of the novel. Derek Worlock became Archbishop of Liverpool in 1976, inheriting the much-maligned Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, nicknamed ‘Paddy’s Wigwam’ in reference to its design. He struck up a firm friendship with the city’s Anglican Bishop, David sheppard, a former england opening bat.

teddy taylor was a rarity, a tory MP in seventies Glasgow with a strong personal following, though he lost his seat at the 1979 election. Michael Foot, an ardent supporter of nuclear disarmament and British withdrawal from the eeC, become leader of the Labour Party in 1980.

topics discussed on the first Question time included the Pope’s visit to ireland, animal welfare, maternity leave and corporal punishment.

Martin Kemp, Woodley, Berks.

QUESTION Have any celebrities joined the clergy?

FuRtHeR to earlier answers, the settlers were a folk group in the sixties and seventies, best known for the theme tune of the children’s tV show Follyfoot.

When they split up, singer Cindy Kent became a radio presenter for the BBC, LBC, Radio London and Premier Christian Radio. in 2009, she was ordained a priest in the Church of england.

Dave Chapman, Redhill, Surrey.