BBC3 series Young Voters’ Question Time is being overhauled, rebranded and expanded into a regular monthly format, with Formula One presenter Jake Humphrey taking on hosting duties.
Mentorn Media, which has produced YVQT since it began in 2010, has won the contract to produce the show, now called Free Speech, following a closed tender.
The 12 x 60-minute series will kick off in March and will involve viewers “from beginning to end”, using social media to capture their views on the four expert panellists who are debating the youthskewing issues.
Viewers will be able to use hashtags to flag up their like or dislike of panellists as they speak in real time, and their responses are reflected on a big-screen studio graphic that Humphrey can use to influence the live debate.
Mentorn is partnering with social TV production company Telegraph Hill for the multimedia strategy.
Like the original Question Time, the series will move around the UK, and will be based in sports halls, shopping malls or festival marquees.
Mentorn creative director and exec producer Steve Anderson said the reversioned format would create “current affairs with a difference: building the programme from the bottom up, with viewers having their say about what they want to see and comment on”.
The series was commissioned by current affairs exec Fiona Campbell and BBC3 controller Zai Bennett. Series producer is Susan Crook.
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