‘Any Questions’ comes to Pendle

Each week, the popular show visits a different community in Britain and a panel of well-known faces is posed questions by the local audience.

And on Friday, August 19th, the live broadcast will be from Nelson’s ACE Centre!

Any Questions has a typical audience of 1.5 million people and panellists from the world of politics, media and elsewhere respond to local issues.

Leader of Pendle Council, Coun. Mike Blomeley, said: “This is a great chance for Pendle to be under the spotlight and take part in a programme which is heard by thousands of people across the country.

“Any Questions has been on air since 1948 and is something of a national institution. I do hope you’ll be able to join us.

“The panel hasn’t been announced yet, but there’ll certainly be some famous names coming to visit Pendle.”

Free tickets to attend the historic programme, chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby, are now available from the ACE Centre box office in Cross Street.

Anyone aged 14 years or over is welcome to go along to the ACE Centre to collect a ticket.

Tickets are being issued on a first come, first served basis, to ensure there is an audience with a range of views.

Phil Storey, Chief Executive of Pendle Leisure Trust, which runs the ACE Centre, is deliformer

He said: “It gives us a fantastic opportunity to promote the Centre to a wide range of people.

“We’re working with the BBC’s Radio 4 team and Pendle Council to make sure this event is a huge success.

“The topical programme covers political, moral and social issues which are of national interest, so we’re encouraging people to contribute questions on the night.

“I’m sure there’ll be a stimulating and interesting debate!”

• This will be the third time the programme has been broadcast from Pendle.

The last broadcast, from the Muni in Colne in 1999, saw a panel comprising the present Home Secretary Theresa May, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, former Welsh Secretatry Ron Davies and LiberalDemocrat Baroness Mattock face questions from the audience.

And in 1977, the programme came from the Silverman Hall in Nelson, where the panellists included then Liberal Democrat leader David Steel.