Question Time Editor Ed Havard Quits

Question Time, BBC OneCurrent editor of political discussion programme Question Time, Ed Havard, has quit the show over plans to re-locate the programme’s base.

The BBC are currently moving many of its Capital-based departments out of their current London production centres into various “regional” BBC Studios. Plans include moving BBC Breakfast, the morning news programme to Manchester.

“The reason Pebble Mill ended was put down to guests being unwilling to travel to Birmingham for a ten minute chat The very same reason This Morning moved from Liverpool to London and the reason Loose Women moved from Norwich to London. Baffling and wasteful of money is what the BBC are doing.” Says ATV telly critic Justin Mason.

A number of BBC presenters and staff have raised concerns about the move to new “regional centres” in recent times and today it was announced that Ed Havard will not be following his programme out of London to Glasgow. The BBC want to produced 50% of network programmes outside of London by the year 2016. ITV since 2002 has been doing the exact opposite and moving programming from regions to the capital.

Question Time presenter David Dimbleby, [pictured above left] who especially requested Havard be hired as editor on the long running political series, was said to be furious with the plans to move the production offices into BBC Scotland when told of the idea three years ago. He hasn’t made any comment today about Havard’s resignation.

Question Time is produced by Mentorn for BBC One, who are said to already be looking for a replacement editor. Whether they also need to seek a replacement presenter remains to be seen.

Dimbleby has fronted the programme since 1994. The BBC have been previously attacked for ditching Newsnight Review – produced in London – with The Review Show – produced in Glasgow – the exact same show, however the cost of the latter is vastly greater due to the cost of transporting guests, those willing to travel, up from London.