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Open to Question

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 96.82.98.106 (talk) at 20:52, 29 July 2021 (added more detail on show origins and hosts and added known guest from radio times archive). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Open to Question
Presented byJohn Nicolson[2]
Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Production
Running time60 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC Two Scotland
Release5 June 1972 (1972-06-05)[1] โ€“
22 May 1994 (1994-05-22)

Open to Question was a current affairs television programme, broadcast by BBC Scotland. Beginning as a regional broadcast in June 1972, In 1976, the programme was networked on BBC1 with Don Cupitt, Dean of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, moderating the discussion, focusing on religious matters.[3] The series was rested after 1977 but returned in 1984 under the production of BBC Scotland, featuring an audience of youngsters, mainly teenagers.[4] The show moved to BBC2 in December 1984, with Hilary O'Neill and Michael MacFarlane as hosts.[5] In 1988, Krishnan Guru-Murthy became the host of the series at just 18 years old.[6][7] John Kelly replaced Guru-Murthy for the final series, in 1992.

Premise

It was a British audience participation talk show which involved Scottish teenagers asking questions to celebrities about topical issues of the day.[8]

Guests

(Sourced from https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ Radio Times archive).

  • 10th Dec 1984: Ato Wahib Muluneh, spokesman for Ethiopia's Marxist government; Dr John Seaman of the Save the Children Fund; and George Galloway, General Secretary of War on Want.
  • 14th Dec 1984: Arthur Scargill.
  • 18th Dec 1984: Billy Connolly.
  • 21st Dec 1984: HRH Princess Anne.
  • 8th Jan 1985: The Rt Hon Cecil Parkinson, MP.
  • 15th Jan 1985: The Bishop of Durham, The Right Rev David Jenkins.
  • 22nd Jan 1985: Tessa Sanderson, Mary Peters and Wendy Sly.
  • 29th Jan 1985: Jimmy & Sarah Boyle.
  • 5th Feb 1985: The Rt Hon Enoch Powell, MP
  • 12th Feb 1985: Midge Ure, Stuart Adamson and Robert Hodgens.
  • 17th Sep 1985: John Nicolson replaces Hilary O'Neill and Michael MacFarlane as host.
  • 24th Sep 1985: The Rt Hon Neil Kinnock, MP, Leader of the Labour Party.
  • 1st Oct 1985: Mrs. Victoria Gillick.
  • 8th Oct 1985: Former Prime Minister of Rhodesia Mr. Ian Smith.
  • 15th Oct 1985: Steve Sawye, Greenpeace.
  • 22nd Oct 1985: James Anderton, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester & Leslie Curtis, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales.
  • 29th Oct 1985: Dr. David Owen.
  • 5th Nov 1985: Jeffrey Archer.
  • 12th Nov 1985: Jo-Ag-Quis-Ho, Chief of the Iroquois Confederacy.
  • 19th Nov 1985: Vladimir Posner.
  • 26th Nov 1985: Tony Benn.
  • 3rd Dec 1985: Cliff Richard.
  • 10th Dec 1985: Aurora & Michael El Legion.
  • 22nd Sep 1986: Derek Hatton & John Macreadie.
  • 29th Sep 1986: Jim Kerr.
  • 6th Oct 1986: Mrs. Mary Whitehouse.
  • 13th Oct 1986: Lord Walter Marshall.
  • 20th Oct 1986: Ian Botham.
  • 27th Oct 1986: Former Vice-President Walter Mondale (via satellite).
  • 17th Nov 1986: Former Prime Minister Edward Heath.
  • 24th Nov 1986: Guest not specified by Radio Times.
  • 1st Dec 1986: Guest not specified by Radio Times.
  • 8th Dec 1986: Denis Healey.
  • 15th Dec 1986: South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister Ron Miller (via satellite).
  • 29th Sep 1987: Bernie Grant.
  • 6th Oct 1987: Edwina Currie.
  • 13th Oct 1987: Terry Butcher.
  • 20th Oct 1987: Ben Elton.
  • 27th Oct 1987: Janet & Stewart Farrar.
  • 3rd Nov 1987: Former News of the World editor David Montgomery.
  • 10th Nov 1987: Peter Tatchell.
  • 17th Nov 1987: Freemason Commander Michael Higham.
  • 24th Nov 1987: Billy Bragg.
  • 1st Dec 1987: Winnie Ewing.
  • 8th Dec 1987: Clive Barker.
  • 15th Dec 1987: Michael Grade.
  • 22nd Dec 1987: Sir Ian MacGregor.
  • 9th May 1988: Live edition. Guest not specified by Radio Times.
  • 16th May 1988: Live edition. Guest not specified by Radio Times.
  • 30th May 1988: Live edition. Tom Robinson & The Rev David Holloway.
  • 6th Jun 1988: Live edition. Senator Gary Hart.
  • 13th Jun 1988: Live edition. Linda Lusardi, Gail McKenna & Miss Bluebell from the Lido in Paris.
  • 21st Sep 1988: Krishnan Guru-Murthy becomes host. Guest: Jimmy Savile.
  • 28th Sep 1988: John Prescott, MP.
  • 5th Oct 1988: Guest not specified in Radio Times.
  • 12th Oct 1988: Dr. Jerry Nims.
  • 19th Oct 1988: Guest not specified in Radio Times.
  • 26th Oct 1988: Guest not specified in Radio Times.
  • 3rd April 1989: Pamela Stephenson.
  • 10th April 1989: The Guardian Angels founders Curtis Sliwa & Dave Edmond.
  • 17th April 1989: Janet Street Porter.
  • 24th April 1989: Rt Hon Roy Hattersley, MP.
  • 8th May 1989: Rt Hon Douglas Hurd, MP. (Originally scheduled but postponed from 1st May)
  • 15th May 1989: Padre Miguel D'Escoto.
  • 13th Jan 1992: John Kelly becomes host. Guest: Justin Fashanu.
  • 20th Jan 1992: Robbie Coltrane.
  • 27th Jan 1992: Tom Sutherland.
  • 3rd Feb 1992: Bernadette Devlin McAliskey.
  • 24th Feb 1992: Caroline Cossey.
  • 2nd Mar 1992: Kate Adie.
  • 16th Mar 1992: Nabil Shaban. (Originally scheduled but postponed from 9th March)
  • 23rd Mar 1992: Craig Charles.


References

  1. ^ https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6a4e0c25cdf43ce3b156cd3e493960e7
  2. ^ "How we met: Krishnan Guru-Murthy & John Nicolson". The Independent. September 26, 1999.
  3. ^ https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b8f4314a5e3444bb892c87bd9ecd766a
  4. ^ https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/0f167e1c82b18f445b77e146b60d258c
  5. ^ https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/13c41279791347c49b87bc8c88578a73
  6. ^ "Jimmy Savile: Cold, aggressive, menacing". Channel 4 News. October 8, 2012.
  7. ^ "The night Billy Connolly walked into an ambush at the BBC". HeraldScotland.
  8. ^ "SNP John Nicolson on Hosting Brilliant Grilling by Scottish Teenagers In 1986". HuffingtonPost.com.