York could be the city where Election 2017 is decided.
It has been chosen as the location for a live edition of BBC1 Question Time – with both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn.
The Prime Minister and Labour leader have both said they will not take part in a live TV debate.
So the programme, screened on Friday, June 2, looks set to be the only live television showdown between the heavyweight opponents.
Same audience, same night
Hosted by the BBC’s election anchor David Dimbleby, Question Time Live will see Mrs May and Mr Corbyn face questions from the same audience consecutively.
This will be the first of two specials – a programme featuring Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish Nationalists, will be broadcast two days later from Edinburgh.
ANNOUNCEMENT: @BBCNews confirms plans for #GE2017 special TV programmes https://t.co/v6cf37Hrvm pic.twitter.com/8gFhOL7Kdl
— BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) May 8, 2017
The venue for the York programme has not yet been released.
Jonathan Munro, head of BBC newsgathering says: “We have an exciting line up of special programmes over the General Election period.
“We’ve made the time to discuss the issues in our schedules, and got the right mix of people on air so they will reach out to all audiences who trust our impartial approach to news.
“Our plans include bringing Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn in front of the same Question Time audience on the same night to be quizzed by the public.
“It is firmly in the public interest for audiences to hear from those seeking election.
“We know they connect with these formats because they are a public moment to focus on and audience members from all across the country get the chance to ask politicians their own questions.”
It will see a quick return to York for Jeremy Corbyn.
He is in the city on Wednesday (May 10) for an election rally.
Is is my 88th birthday on 2 June and I would love to be in the audience on that day in York. Please let me know asap so I can make arrangements to stay in the area overnight
What a present that would be Malcolm! Details have now been released on how to apply to be in the audience. There are more details here :https://yorkmix.wpengine.com/news/can-now-apply-york-bbc-question-time-audience-theresa-may-jeremy-corbyn-special/
We would like to be in the audience but don’t know how to apply.
Hi Sandra. We’ve just published the details of how to apply here. Best of British!
I would like to be in Audience
My wife and I both live near york, both retired civil servants, would love to attend when date/venue released
Do you know how we can become audience members?
Not yet, no Simon: but we have asked the question. When we get details we’ll put them on the site.