From next month Alex will take over hosting Any Questions? Each Friday evening a panel of people from the world of politics, media and elsewhere answer questions on the biggest topics of the week from an audience in a different part of the UK.

The first programme, on 4 November, will come from East Midlands Airport, with members of the local live audience putting their questions to panellists who represent the spectrum of political opinion as well as many aspects of national life.

Alex Forsyth says: “It’s an absolute privilege to be the new host of Any Questions, a programme I have listened to and loved for many years. It is one of the rare forums that allows people to put their questions directly to politicians and leaders, and I see my role as trying to get the answers they seek. I can’t wait to get started.”

Mohit Bakaya, Director of Speech, says: “I am delighted that Alex has agreed to be the next host of Any Questions? She brings a huge amount of experience and insight about politics and its impact on communities far beyond Westminster, and she will be a terrific champion for audiences up and down the country. As the programme reaches its 75th birthday, its mission is as important as ever, given the crucial policy debates taking place at the moment.”

Any Questions? is the longest running live discussion programme in the UK. It began on 12 October 1948, with a broadcast from the Guildhall in Winchester.

For the past eight years, Alex Forsyth has worked as a BBC Political Correspondent, appearing on flagship programmes from Radio 4’s Today to News At Ten, Politics Live to Newscast. Since 2019 Alex has been based in the West Midlands and reports on politics from across the UK, ensuring a wide range of perspectives from different areas are reflected in political coverage. Alex started her career in local newspapers before joining the BBC in local radio.

Alex takes over from Chris Mason who presented the programme from October 2019 and was recently appointed as the BBC’s Political Editor.

Any Questions? is produced by BBC Audio from Bristol.