BBC Question Time faces meltdown seconds into show with Fiona Bruce silenced

experienced a major technical error moments into the political programme as host opened the hour-long programme. On Thursday (May 22), viewers tuning in on BBC iPlayer got to watch the debate programme one hour earlier than those watching the show on live TV.

But seconds into the weekly show, Fiona appeared to be muted as she introduced the programme and the political guests appearing on the show. The 61-year-old host could be seen with her back to the audience as she introduced the programme, but her microphone didn't appear to be working. The show began in suspended silence for 15 seconds as the camera panned over the audience before returning to Fiona where the last few seconds of her introduction could be heard.

She said: ".... to Question Time on the BBC News channel or on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds." The sound then appeared to return to normal as the opening credits played out as the presenter returned to her seat.

Although the presenter didn't address the technical issue, the show continued without a hitch as she welcomed this week's panelists to the viewers at home.

Joining Fiona on the panel this week are Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds, Conservative politician Kieran Mullan, editor-in-chief of The Economist Zanny Minton Beddoes, barrister and author Hashi Mohamed, and journalist Inaya Folarin Iman.

It didn't take long before a heated debate began on the BBC show after Tory MP Kieran Mullan argued that the new UK-EU deal shows Labour are "desperate", claiming it's "not in the interests" of UK fisherman.

He explained: "They're [Labour] incredibly unpopular and they're desperate for anything that makes it look like they're delivering because they haven't been across the board.

"It's easy to conclude a negotiation if you give the other side what they want, that isn't a success for this country and particularly, for example, our fisherman. One of the main beneficieries potentially from Brexit is the fisherman.

"We should switch back to every year, negotiating really hard for them for a deal that's going to work for them. And, of course, the EU are desperate to stop us doing that, and instead, Labour have handed them a 12-year agreement that is not in the interests of British fisherman and the industry's been very clear about saying that."

Fiona explained: "This is a continuation of the deal that the Conservatives brought in, admittedly for much longer, but the government described it at the time as 'the best possible deal, not just for the fish-catching sector but for the industry as a whole'.

"Was that not true then? Because on that basis I'm sure you'd be thrilled to see if go on for another 12 years. Was it not the best possible deal then?"

Kieran countered: "The fishing industry were clear that we had to maintain a year by year negotiating position." Fiona interrupted him again, arguing: "But the government described this as the best possible deal, now it sounds like the worst possible deal."

The flustered politician went on: "At that point in time immediately out of the long-deal as part of the EU, that was the best deal we could secure at that time. But as the fishing industry has made very clear, in the long-term we move back to more and more of the fishing stops coming back to British fishermen."