Fiona Bruce has expressed regret for not intervening during an especially fiery Question Time debate.
The 56-year-old, who took over from long-time host David Dimbleby in January 2019, has since explained she wished she had spoken out against a guest during an impassioned argument about Donald Trump.
Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies, best known for playing Gimli in the Lord Of The Rings franchise, caused controversy when he said “Oh woman!” at Caroline Green, who was then the leader of the Green Party, before slapping his hands down on the table during the heated debate.
Speaking to Radio Times magazine, Bruce said about the incident: “I thought at the time, I should shut him down, and say, ‘That is not how we say things here.’
“We film the show as live and I always watch it back – which I don’t do with the news any more – to see if there is anything I should have done differently, and on that occasion I should have done.”
When asked whether she prefers more impassioned guests on the show, Bruce said: “Passionate, yes. Kicking off, not so much.
“I don’t like it when passion edges into nastiness and there was a lot of nastiness around Brexit in particular, a lot of division and fear.”
David Dimbleby on Question Time – In pictures
1/25
David Dimbleby during filming of the BBC1 programme Question Time
PA
2/25 1994
David Dimbleby on Question Time 1994
BBC
3/25 1994
David Dimbleby on Question Time 1994
BBC
4/25 1998
Comedian and Actor Eddie Izzard (2nd right) who appeared on BBC Question Time in Glasgow. Also on the panel with chairman David Dimbleby, from 2nd left, Donald Findley, Vice Chairman of Glasgow Ranger’s, Nicola Sturgeon, Education spokesperson for the SNP, and Gavin Strang MP.
BBC
5/25 2000
‘Question Time’. Host David Dimbleby (3rd right) puts question’s to panelists’ (l/r) Angela Browning, gay singer Boy George, Liberal Democratic Leader Charles Kennedy, (Dimbleby) Lord Falconer and Brian Souter
BBC
6/25 2000
Tony Blair (right) and David Dimbleby relax after recording the BBC Question Time programme at the Brighton and Hove Sixth Form College Thursday 6th July, 2000.
PA
7/25 2001
Prime Minister Tony Blair appearing on BBC Question Time live presented by David Dimbleby, in Bletchley Leisure Centre, Milton Keynes
PA
8/25 2001
David Dimbleby on Question Time 2001
BBC
9/25 2001
Michael Portillo on the show in 2001
BBC
10/25 2005
David Dimbleby on Question Time 2005
BBC
11/25 2009
Host David Dimbleby and BNP leader Nick Griffin during Question Time.
PA
12/25 2009
David Dimbleby and Margaret Beckett
BBC
13/25 2010
When there was no cabinet minister on the show to represent the government, in protest at Alistair Campbell’s appearance. David Dimbleby explained the situation to viewers at the beginning of the show, while Campbell joked that he found a cabinet minister and pulled out a framed photo of David Laws. John Redwood appeared to represent the conservative party and Piers Morgan, Susan Kramer and Max Hastings.
BBC
14/25 2012
Louise Mensch and John Lydon having a disagreement over drug use on BBC Question Time
BBC
15/25 2013
Chair David Dimbleby during a warm-up question before the recording of BBC One’s political debate programme,
PA
16/25 2013
Russell Brand and Tessa Jowell.
TV programme Question Time hosted by David Dimbleby in London City Hall with guests (L-R) Comedian Russell Brand, Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, (David Dimbleby) Energy Secretary Ed Davey and Daily Mail Columnist Melanie Phillips.
BBC
17/25 2013
Mayor of London Boris Johnson (left) and presenter David Dimbleby, during the filming of Question Time, at City Hall in London.
PA
18/25 2014
ory MP Philip Hammond kept calling fellow panellist Labour MP Liz Kendall – Rachel Reeves resulting in host David Dimbleby writing Liz on paper as a nametag
BBC
19/25 2015
Ukip leader Nigel Farage (left) and Editor-in-Chief for The Economist Zanny Minton Beddoes during filming of the BBC1 programme Question Time, in Uxbridge.
PA
20/25 2015
The Question Time audience were treated to a fine exchange of wit during a debate when Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg hit back at a remark by David Dimbleby referring to his Eton education. Answering a question about whether expansion of Heathrow would create the number of jobs promised and justify the cost to the environment, Mr Rees-Mogg told the audience,
“I realise that in Slough this may not please everybody. I used to live not a million miles from Slough with the airplanes going over. I must confess they did not prove too bothersome there.”
To which Mr Dimbleby replied: “Eton, is that?”
“That’s absolutely right,” the MP replied.
Before adding: “I was at school with your son.”
BBC
21/25 2016
Prime Minister David Cameron (right) appears in a special referendum edition of BBC One’s Question Time, hosted by David Dimbleby, at the MK Arena in Milton Keynes
PA
22/25 2016
EDDIE Izzard was heckled and told to ‘shut up’ by a Question Time audience after he attacked Nigel Farage over his ‘immigrant family’.
Sporting a pink beret and EU badge for the BBC show, filmed in Kent, the cross-dressing comedian told the Ukip leader – who has French ancestors and a German wife – that he should vote to remain.
BBC
23/25 2017
Question Time presenter David Dimbley ejected a rowdy audience member from BBC programme in June 2017
BBC
24/25 2017
Audience member kicked out of BBC studio revealed to be Steve German. He started shouting ‘Theresa May is a zombie prime minister’ and ‘tax the rich’
David Dimbleby threw the audience member out to cheers after his heckling
BBC
25/25 2018
David Dimbleby on his last series
BBC
1/25
David Dimbleby during filming of the BBC1 programme Question Time
PA
2/25 1994
David Dimbleby on Question Time 1994
BBC
3/25 1994
David Dimbleby on Question Time 1994
BBC
4/25 1998
Comedian and Actor Eddie Izzard (2nd right) who appeared on BBC Question Time in Glasgow. Also on the panel with chairman David Dimbleby, from 2nd left, Donald Findley, Vice Chairman of Glasgow Ranger’s, Nicola Sturgeon, Education spokesperson for the SNP, and Gavin Strang MP.
BBC
5/25 2000
‘Question Time’. Host David Dimbleby (3rd right) puts question’s to panelists’ (l/r) Angela Browning, gay singer Boy George, Liberal Democratic Leader Charles Kennedy, (Dimbleby) Lord Falconer and Brian Souter
BBC
6/25 2000
Tony Blair (right) and David Dimbleby relax after recording the BBC Question Time programme at the Brighton and Hove Sixth Form College Thursday 6th July, 2000.
PA
7/25 2001
Prime Minister Tony Blair appearing on BBC Question Time live presented by David Dimbleby, in Bletchley Leisure Centre, Milton Keynes
PA
8/25 2001
David Dimbleby on Question Time 2001
BBC
9/25 2001
Michael Portillo on the show in 2001
BBC
10/25 2005
David Dimbleby on Question Time 2005
BBC
11/25 2009
Host David Dimbleby and BNP leader Nick Griffin during Question Time.
PA
12/25 2009
David Dimbleby and Margaret Beckett
BBC
13/25 2010
When there was no cabinet minister on the show to represent the government, in protest at Alistair Campbell’s appearance. David Dimbleby explained the situation to viewers at the beginning of the show, while Campbell joked that he found a cabinet minister and pulled out a framed photo of David Laws. John Redwood appeared to represent the conservative party and Piers Morgan, Susan Kramer and Max Hastings.
BBC
14/25 2012
Louise Mensch and John Lydon having a disagreement over drug use on BBC Question Time
BBC
15/25 2013
Chair David Dimbleby during a warm-up question before the recording of BBC One’s political debate programme,
PA
16/25 2013
Russell Brand and Tessa Jowell.
TV programme Question Time hosted by David Dimbleby in London City Hall with guests (L-R) Comedian Russell Brand, Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, (David Dimbleby) Energy Secretary Ed Davey and Daily Mail Columnist Melanie Phillips.
BBC
17/25 2013
Mayor of London Boris Johnson (left) and presenter David Dimbleby, during the filming of Question Time, at City Hall in London.
PA
18/25 2014
ory MP Philip Hammond kept calling fellow panellist Labour MP Liz Kendall – Rachel Reeves resulting in host David Dimbleby writing Liz on paper as a nametag
BBC
19/25 2015
Ukip leader Nigel Farage (left) and Editor-in-Chief for The Economist Zanny Minton Beddoes during filming of the BBC1 programme Question Time, in Uxbridge.
PA
20/25 2015
The Question Time audience were treated to a fine exchange of wit during a debate when Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg hit back at a remark by David Dimbleby referring to his Eton education. Answering a question about whether expansion of Heathrow would create the number of jobs promised and justify the cost to the environment, Mr Rees-Mogg told the audience,
“I realise that in Slough this may not please everybody. I used to live not a million miles from Slough with the airplanes going over. I must confess they did not prove too bothersome there.”
To which Mr Dimbleby replied: “Eton, is that?”
“That’s absolutely right,” the MP replied.
Before adding: “I was at school with your son.”
BBC
21/25 2016
Prime Minister David Cameron (right) appears in a special referendum edition of BBC One’s Question Time, hosted by David Dimbleby, at the MK Arena in Milton Keynes
PA
22/25 2016
EDDIE Izzard was heckled and told to ‘shut up’ by a Question Time audience after he attacked Nigel Farage over his ‘immigrant family’.
Sporting a pink beret and EU badge for the BBC show, filmed in Kent, the cross-dressing comedian told the Ukip leader – who has French ancestors and a German wife – that he should vote to remain.
BBC
23/25 2017
Question Time presenter David Dimbley ejected a rowdy audience member from BBC programme in June 2017
BBC
24/25 2017
Audience member kicked out of BBC studio revealed to be Steve German. He started shouting ‘Theresa May is a zombie prime minister’ and ‘tax the rich’
David Dimbleby threw the audience member out to cheers after his heckling
BBC
25/25 2018
David Dimbleby on his last series
BBC
Bruce also explained how she struggled with the coronavirus lockdown, and how it has changed Question Time.
“In the first week or so I was very anxious, and fearful and worried for my family,” she said. “But then I got used to it and as time went on I forced myself to become more Zen.
“[Ratings on Question Time] have gone down recently because I think people are fed up of coronavirus.
“At the beginning of lockdown, people just wanted information, so there wasn’t much debate. But as time moved on, that changed.”
The full interview is in Radio Times magazine, out now.
Additional reporting by PA
