Question Time for students

9:20am Sunday 20th July 2008

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PUPILS near Hay-on-Wye swapped school work for the studio last week to produce a special edition of TV's Question Time.

Gwernyfed High School's head boy Hal Fraser and classmate Rhodri Thomas were among eight finalists from four schools who greeted panellists, such as former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith and Apprentice star Saira Khan, they helped book before the show aired on Thursday night (July 10).

They also helped audience members with questions and briefed presenter David Dimbleby after winning the opportunity in a competition in May.

Mr Fraser said: "To get the experience as a whole is great, it wasn't long ago we applied and it was just something we thought we might get through - and now we're up in London doing this."

They then watched Mr Dimbleby chair a pre-recorded debate hours before it went out to viewers.

Mr Dimbleby said: "As we face new and complex challenges globally and locally, it is more important than ever that we involve young people - all people - in political decision making."

To get there the students were judged on their own Question Time event, broadcast live on radio from Gwernyfed, which they organised with panellists such as AM Kirsty Williams and Hay Festival organiser Peter Florence.

Mr Fraser said: "It's amazing what actually goes on in the BBC - this morning I just saw a few familiar faces and I don't know what you think they are, aliens or something, but they're just normal people."