Half of Herald readers refused to tune into Question Time after bias accusations over the reappearance of a former UKIP candidate. 

The poll, completed by 1119 readers, showed that 51% decided not to watch the show after criticism over former Coatbridge and Chryston UKIP candidate Billy Mitchell's fourth appearance.

Eighteen per cent said they would tune it, while 31% revealed they hadn't watch the show in years.

Read more: Question Time row: BBC 'reject accusations' of bias after backlash over UKIP candidate

It comes as the BBC "rejected accusations that last week’s audience (February 7) was not representative of a range of views", saying they would not normally allow someone to appear again if they had featured "recently".

The Herald:

But he sparked online debate after he launched fiercely criticised SNP’s Fiona Hyslop during last Thursday’s edition of the popular topical debate programme.

The makers of BBC Question Time were under more pressure on Thursday morning after it was claimed that Fiona Hyslop’s full response to a former UKIP candidate was edited out from last week’s Question Time in Motherwell.

It has since been revealed that he has appeared in the show’s audience four times, with his last audience appearance giving him more than a minute of uninterrupted airtime to direct a rant at an SNP minister.