Presenter Dermot O’Leary has stepped into a row about BBC1’s Question Time, dismissing plans to relocate the show to Glasgow as “a joke”.

Highly-regarded editor Ed Havard resigned from the show over the proposed move, set to take place in September.

Programme host David Dimbleby is understood to be unhappy about the loss of the programme executive, who decided he did not want to move.

Plans to move were first announced in 2008 as part of efforts to ensure more shows are produced outside London.

But there has been criticism about the move because it would be taken so far from the political hub of Westminster.

O’Leary, who has fronted a youth version of Question Time for BBC3 made by the same production team at programme-maker Mentorn, said: “It’s a joke. QT needs to be in London.”

In a series of messages on Twitter he backed the departing editor, calling him “a card-carrying genius”, and added that the show “needs to be booked from Westminster”.

Dimbleby told the Daily Mail last week: “Question Time look like a very simple programme to make but that is actually the result of a great deal of work behind the scenes, particularly with the politicians at Westminster.

“Ed’s been a brilliant editor - one of the best we have ever had. He is a great loss.”

The BBC explained that Havard is leaving the political programme because he has “decided he does not wish to relocate”. A replacement is being sought.

The BBC did not wish to comment any further about the move.

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