BBC admits Fiona Bruce made ‘light-hearted' comment about Diane Abbott to ‘Question Time’ audience members

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The BBC has privately admitted that the new Question Time host Fiona Bruce made light-hearted personal comments about Diane Abbott. Show editors are understood to have written to the shadow home secretary acknowledging that Ms Bruce made a humorous remark to the audience before the cameras started to roll, in response to a formal complaint from Labour over the show’s “unacceptable” treatment of Ms Abbott. It comes amid an ongoing row over Ms Abbott’s appearance on the flagship show earlier this month, which the veteran Labour MP described as a “horrible experience”. “The shadow home secretary mentioned some other earlier polls which showed Labour in the lead, and we should have made that context clear, and I’m really happy to do that now.” Diane Abbott takes on panelists during Question Time A BBC spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear Diane Abbott’s concerns and have contacted her team to reassure them that reports circulating on social media are inaccurate and misleading.