18 Year-Old Charlie Bell Wins A Seat On Question Time Panel

Eighteen-year-old Charlie Bell from Haywards Heath, West Sussex will go head to head with politicians and public figures as he joins the BBC Question Time panel for a special edition of the programme on BBC One. Charlie has won a place on the Schools Question Time panel following a national competition to find the best candidate.

Charlie will sit alongside Ed Miliband MP, Cabinet Office Minister, Sayeeda Warsi, Vice Chair of the Conservative Party, author Douglas Murray and television personality Davina McCall in the TV debate chaired by David Dimbleby on Thursday 5 July 2007 in London's Cadogan Hall.

Charlie Bell said: "Schools Question Time provides young people with an arena to discuss current issues with the decision makers and experts. Having the voice of youth on a Question Time debate is very important as we can provide another perspective.

"We need to learn for the future when we will be in the position of making huge decisions which have such far reaching consequences not just for our generation but for those to come.

"I hope this experience will teach me to form rational, sensible arguments about current issues, however sensitive or controversial."

The competition to find a panellist is an important element of the Schools Question Time Challenge and the student winners of the challenge chose the eventual winner.

To enter the panel competition applicants aged 16 to 22 were invited to submit a short video clip explaining why they wanted to be on Question Time. Charlie Bell was selected after an audition in a television studio.

David Dimbleby said: "For a second year the students have chosen a young member of the public to join the panel, reflecting their view that political debate isn't just for experts or politicians.

"The competition itself is a reflection of the way in which young people are using new technology to get involved in the world and exploring new ways of making their voices heard."

Schools Question Time Challenge – a national initiative launched in September 2006 by the BT Better World Campaign, the Institute for Citizenship and the BBC – helps pupils learn about citizenship, improve their speaking and listening skills, contribute to stimulating political discussions, and engage with members of the community.

The Schools Question Time Challenge is now in its fourth year.

As winners of the Schools Question Time Challenge, two students from each of the four winning UK schools will work with David Dimbleby and a BBC production team to make a unique edition of the show.

Pupils from Denbigh School in Milton Keynes, Ilford Ursuline High School in Essex, Ringwood School in Hampshire and Whitby Community College in Whitby have been involved in all aspects of the production process, making editorial decisions, researching and taking on production roles.

Schools registered to enter the Challenge online and had to describe the issues they would discuss during their ideal Question Time and the panel they would choose to discuss those issues.

From the entries, judges chose 12 finalists and each school was given a £500 cash grant from BT to stage their own Question Time event. The finalist schools also received professional support from the company by taking part in a Schools Question Time workshop focusing on communication skills.

A team of judges from BT, The Institute for Citizenship and the BBC visited each event and the four winning schools were chosen.

David Dimbleby will announce the launch of Schools Question Time 2007/08 on the special Question Time programme in London tonight.

All UK schools with pupils aged 14 to 19 can enter the Schools Question Time Challenge.

Schools can register their interest in the Challenge and resources by logging on to BT.com/education/schoolsqt.

Schools Question Time, Thursday 5 July 2007, 10.35pm, BBC One.