THE BBC’s flagship political debate programme, Question Time, returns tonight with a virtual audience based in Scotland.

The digital attendees are all located in North East Scotland. The last time the show featured a Scottish audience was October, when it was broadcast from “Edinburgh” with panel members including Douglas Ross and Kate Forbes.

Usually Question Time is broadcast from different locations across the UK and features a live audience made up of people from the area.

READ MORE: Political activists understand that Question Time is a parody

However, during the coronavirus pandemic the format has changed to feature a socially distanced panel and a smaller number of audience members who appear from their homes via video link.  

Here’s who will be taking part in the programme at 10.45pm tonight:

Jeane Freeman: Health Secretary, SNP

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman is one of the five panellists tonight. The SNP MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley was elected in 2016 and will be standing down at the 2021 election.

Freeman was a founding member of Women for Independence and an active Yes campaigner in the run up to the 2014 referendum.

On tonight’s episode it is likely she will face questions from opposition politicians on the Scottish Government’s coronavirus vaccine roll-out. Yesterday was a landmark moment in the scheme with more than one million jags administered so far.

Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean: Former Scottish secretary, Conservative

Michael Forsyth, the former Tory MP for Stirling and Scottish secretary under John Major, will be participating in tonight’s panel.

A member of the House of Lords since 1999, financier Forsyth is the chairman of the house’s Economic Affairs Committee.

Forsyth is strongly anti-independence and campaigned against devolution in the 1997 referendum.

Ian Murray: Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary

Ian Murray, Scotland’s last remaining Labour MP and the party’s shadow Scottish secretary, will also be on the panel.

The MP for Edinburgh South has recently backed Anas Sarwar to become Scottish Labour’s next leader.

Murray is also strongly anti-independence. He most recently appeared on Question Time in May last year.

Angela Haggerty: Commentator

Journalist Angela Haggerty edited CommonSpace, pro-independence think tank Common Weal’s website, and was news editor at the Sunday Herald.

Haggerty is now often seen commentating on BBC, STV and Sky News programmes.

Stephen Fitzpatrick: Businessman

Businessman Stephen Fitzpatrick is the founder of OVO Energy and the former owner of the Manor Racing team. He is now also the president of Vertical Aerospace.