Free Speech - BBC Three

I think this has basically replaced Young Voters Question Time as it's also produced by Mentorn and it's basically the same show with a few bells and whistles thrown in.

Jake Humphrey does a good job as host, and I think he's a better choice than Richard Bacon on the basis Bacon would probably be more suited to grown up Question Time.

What annoys me is, they don't tell the viewers who the panellists are, so they might as well be a bunch of people off the street. There was no one in a position of power on the last show (the only one I've seen) either, and that should be necessary I'd have thought to counter opinions of those who want change with the current situation.

One of the panellists is a 'chosen moron' from what I can gather and last week it was former Page 3 Model Nicola McClean. It was confirmed she was the chosen moron by her announcing "if I have an opinion I'm not afraid to say it" or words to that effect.

The theme music used for this weeks show was that song that goes "Everybody Dance Now", it's very possibly a song that just heavily samples the original though, but it got very repetitive and didn't really fit with the show.

There is a female comedian I've never seen before, reading online interactions which makes total sense on so many levels and it's a good idea to poll viewers on how the panellists are doing, so they can see how in touch or out of touch they are.

All in all, I think it's a good show and it makes sense to have it as monthly thing, rather than a run of episodes all in one go. It's exactly the type of thing BBC Three should be doing along side the more entertainment based stuff.

I'd imagine for most 'young people' the Question Time brand was a turn off and of course the show was potentially damaging for the Question Time brand itself. I'd imagine it would have only pulled in those 'young people' who would already watch Question Time, but the level of debate and intelligence on display is inferior for the most part.

There may have been a thread on the first episode but I don't recall it, so I'd be interested in hearing the views from others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01fkcmn/Free_Speech_Episode_2/

This is the second monthly episode that aired last week and should be available for the next day or two

"For me there is different levels of crime y'know..."

Give this woman a knighthood!

Still she's had her air time. "Fire up the powerbar..."

I clicked on the iPlayer link and gave up less than 2 mins in. It's like Question Time, but all chavved up innit maaayte?!?
A title sequence with Dizzee Rascal's ruination of C+C Music Factory's most famous track doesn't help either.

I hope they don't use that every episode, it's definite turn off.

The third episode of this is on at 8pm tonight. I'd like to see if the calibre of panelists gets any better.

I've never heard of most of them.

BBC Free Speech @BBCFreeSpeech
Warming the chairs for our panelists @Jamaledwards @OfficialKojo @cherryhealey @AlexandralSwann ready for the hot seat? http://t.co/VoIVotsG

What a charming horrible woman.

It's says a lot when she was about the only one on the panel who said anything that made any sense.

No one seemed to have any clear ideas or understanding about the issues in question, there was very little in terms of differences of opinion meaning no friction and it was pretty poor debate.

The show would work much better if there was a panel of people who actually make decisions the politicians, debating with a panel of young people with relevant experience of issues such as drugs and crime.

Instead we get examples of nothingness like this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01hy4yy/?t=10m57s