Nigel Farage promises to 'fight the BBC' after being snubbed by Question Time's leaders' special
Nigel Farage has not been invited to join the BBC's two-hour long Question Time leaders' special, it has been revealed.
The Reform UK leader is not part of the guest list for the show, which will feature PM Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Liberal Democrat Ed Davey and John Swinney from the SNP.
The move comes after Farage warned he would "fight" BBC bosses if they excluded him from the high-profile televised debate and pointed to his strong polling numbers.
Speaking at a press conference last week Farage said: "As we are now ahead of the Conservatives in the polls, I demand that Reform UK is a part of this debate. If the BBC want a fight with me on this, they can have one.”
The programme, which will be chaired by Question Time's Fiona Bruce, will take place on Thursday, 20 June.
However, while the former I'm a Celeb star is locked out of the debate featuring the main players in the Westminster election, he has been invited to a second event.
Another Question Time involving Reform UK and the Green Party will take place on Friday 28 June.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Farage said: “I am pleased that the BBC acknowledge that support for Reform UK has been growing in this election. We must now be included in the head-to-head debate with Sunak and Starmer on June 26th.”
The BBC said, pointing out that their Panorama interview with Farage had been moved, said: “This added programme, and the changed peak-time scheduling slot for the Panorama interview, reflects the fact that it is clear from across a broad range of opinion polls that the support for Reform UK has been growing.
"As a public service broadcaster, the BBC recognises that the policies and proposals of the party deserve scrutiny at a time convenient for mass audiences. In the interests of fairness, we have offered the same scheduling opportunity to the Green Party.”
