Changes to BBC Parliament & Political Programming

This is a bit of a non-story. Dimbleby, Humphreys and Neil are stepping down because they are older and their time on their respective shows has run its course. No more. No less.

Mair can be bracketed with Chris Evans and possibly Simon Mayo as having moved on since the salaries were published (Mayo I know has also jumped owing to the enforced co-host on the Drivetime Radio 2 show), but I think it is just a time for some older presenters to call it a day and time for the next generation to step up.

Very much so. Think all of them (with the exception of Mair), had stayed in the roles too long and it was time to move on. New blood could very well be a good thing.

also, that article is very inaccurate with it's claim that Buerk, Sissons and Frost left at the same time. OK, Buerk and Sissons stepped down at the start of 2002, but Sissons carried on the News Channel until 2009/10ish, Buerk's still presenting Moral Maze and Frost didn't retire until 2005

Frost didn't retire at all. He left the BBC in 2005 but kept working and was on TV until he died in 2013.

Frost went to Al Jazerra after he left the BBC didn’t he?

Yes, for the launch of their English language channel. He did a few programmes for British broadcasters too - a documentary about satire for BBC4 and didn't he do one of the ITV political programmes too

There was a lot of fuss recently with Owen Jones and the left, over Neils presumed political bias with his links to the Spectator magazine. He's said he will surprise everyone when he is 'post BBC'.

It's quite unreasonable of the BBC to decline Andrew's request of filming the show earlier. For a nearly 70 year old man to be hosting a show well past midnight live, I think it's justified that Andrew would want to tape it earlier.

There'd be nothing stopping them recording the show earlier that evening, just like Question Time does. There's no element of the show that would require it to be live, other than when it is broadcasting a by-election result.

I guess the BBC saw this as the perfect opportunity to shelve the show completely. It's not surprising the decision has received the backlash that it has.

It's likely cheaper to do it live though. If they pre-rec, OFCOM aren't going to look kindly on a "these things happen in live telly" excuse if something happens, they would be obliged to edit the show. That probably involves somebody doing a load of compliance paperwork too.

Plus if it is pre-recorded, they can't react to anything that arises from Question Time.

It's also an indie production, so not necessarily the BBC's call anyway. They have a contract for a live show at a particular price, varying that may not be straightforward.

So if Andrew Neil is not willing/able to continue to do the job in its current form, and there are valid reasons for not changing the form of the job, retirement seems to be the answer.

I suppose they could always box them, Beyond 100 Days style.

He asked for it to be screened earlier, not recorded earlier.

Wouldn't be surprised if Neil and co end up hosting something similar elsewhere.

I was thinking the same. As much as I’d like to see it, not sure ITV would pick it up for a 10:45 slot. But I could see a Channel 4 version emerging - perhaps Sunday night?