As Guido revealed earlier this week, the BBC’s flagship debate programme Question Time was to go ahead last night without an audience for the first time in its 41 year history, as well as spread out panellists demonstrating social distancing. What resulted was one of the most watchable editions of the programme, as well as one of the most informative, detailed and least partisan discussions Question Time has broadcast. Even Corbynites couldn’t claim the audience was full of Tory stooges…

The show’s new partisan-free audience went down very well with viewers

Agree great stuff. Guests given time to properly develop answers

— Emily Ashton (@elashton) March 19, 2020

Question Time should never have an audience again. This is far more mature and a decent discussion #bbcqt

— Ben Astley (@astley_ben) March 19, 2020

Question Time was so much better without an audience. The audience’s absence shows how much it encourages the self-righteous, the virtue-signallers, the easy line for cheap applause. This was, for once, a proper discussion. Hope they make the accidental format permanent #bbcqt

— Boris Starling (@vodkaboris) March 19, 2020

This format of Question Time is a million times better. The panel no longer has meaningless "Tories murder the poor/Labour bankrupted the world" type soundbites & an audience of clapping punters to rely on. They've gotta stand on their own 2 feet & engage constructively for once.

— DSG (@thedsggroup) March 19, 2020

A grown up Question Time tonight No audience to play to and mutual respect made for a much better programme

— Colin Baker (@SawbonesHex) March 19, 2020

With the Doctor endorsing their new format, BBC producers should hopefully sit up and listen…