Fiona’s the first lady of Question Time
FIoNA Bruce has been asked to host Question Time on BBC1, it was reported last night.
The move would make her the first female host in the programme’s history.
The newsreader was originally considered a long shot to replace David Dimbleby, but was offered the job after she impressed bosses at a series of auditions.
Sources said a formal announcement is expected in the coming days pending approval by top executives, including director general Tony Hall and director of news Fran Unsworth. Newsnight presenters Emily Maitlis and Kirsty Wark had been the bookies’ favourites to take over from Dimbleby.
But it was Antiques Roadshow presenter Bruce, 54, who impressed executives during last month’s auditions – dubbed ‘Question Time Idol’. The newsreader was one of six contenders who were put through their paces by a crossparty panel of MPs and journalists in front of an audience at a school in south London.
An insider told The Guardian that while BBC heads were ‘pleased’ with the calibre of candidates during auditions, Miss Bruce was a cut above the rest.
A source said at the time: ‘There are lots of positive choices the BBC could make.
‘Fiona was outstanding – she was authoritative and also seemed to have really good rapport with the audience. She’s almost certainly the front-runner and BBC bosses are working out how she can do the job while carrying on with her current commitments such as Antiques Roadshow.’
After the BBC’s gender pay row, it was assumed a woman would replace veteran broadcaster Dimbleby on the show.
Nick Robinson, the host of Radio 4’s Today programme, was the only male to audition for the role.
After leaving his audition earlier this month he said that Maitlis was ‘the obvious choice’.
He said: ‘I would put my money on Emily.’ The broadcaster added that he ‘never expected to get the job’ but claimed he would have ‘kicked himself’ had he not tried.
Samira Ahmed and Victoria Derbyshire were also considered.
Dimbleby, 80, announced in June that he was stepping down from Question Time after 25 years at the helm to return to his ‘first love’, reporting. His final show will be on December 13.
A BBC spokesman said they would not comment on ‘speculation’ over his replacement.