Overview
- The Question Time immigration special filmed in Dover on December 5 included two men who had crossed the English Channel and later spoke from the audience.
- Investigations reported that the migrant‑support charity Imix helped identify and prepare the two participants and that Imix chief executive Jenni Regan was present and selected to ask a question.
- Imix says it provided safeguarding and practical support and denied directing what the men said while the BBC says it retained full editorial control and routinely asks charities to help find people with lived experience.
- Reform UK and its then‑policy chief Zia Yusuf accused the programme of a staged 'ambush' and more than 1,000 viewers formally complained about impartiality and audience selection.
- The episode has sharpened debate over how broadcasters source lived‑experience voices, how much support counts as advocacy, and whether the matter should trigger formal regulatory scrutiny of BBC editorial processes.