Why it is good news for Question Time that David Dimbleby is retiring

Last month, it was announced that Fiona Bruce, currently a BBC News presenter (and not to be confused with the sitting Conservative MP for Congleton of the same name), will be hosting Question Time from January 2019, replacing David Dimbleby who is retiring at the end of this year after 24 years of hosting the programme

BBC Question Time's quality has been deteriorating overall since 2015, especially due to the excessive coverage given to UKIP compared to the Green Party, and also due to panels becoming more unbalanced as a whole. David Dimbleby's attitude towards female panellists in particular, especially those of a progressive stance like Caroline Lucas and former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, has been dismal. In general, his stance is outdated and out of touch with the need for a more inclusive, modern politics. As a result, I have often refused to watch BBC Question Time unless the panel is particularly interesting or innovative. I am therefore personally glad that David Dimbleby is finally retiring from the show, as he has done from the BBC's election coverage. What comes up must come down.

By contrast, Fiona Bruce has shown to be more progressive especially on the subject of women's rights. Despite her lack of experience with hosting political programmes, and even though Question Time needs more rigorous changes to regain its appeal, she will prove to be a useful breath of fresh air.

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