BBC viewers have been left applauding presenter Mishal Husain for her ‘brilliant’ handling of the debate on Friday night after the ‘shambolic’ events earlier this week.
A seven-way debate is underway on the BBC, with Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner taking the place of the leaders of the two main parties, who went head-to-head in an ill-tempered clash on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer were involved in the first General Election debate on Tuesday night, in front of a live studio audience and moderated by newsreader Julie Etchingham.
They clashed over taxes, the NHS and immigration, but those watching at home were more concerned about the debate descending into chaos, with the pair speaking over each other and the moderator.
Reaction towards tonight’s debate has taken a rather different turn though, with viewers praising Husain for doing ‘an excellent job’.
@madonadventure wrote on X: ‘#BBCDebate at this point the only one showing control, understanding and leadership is @MishalHusain Brilliant as ever. Vote Mishal.’
‘Mishal bossing this,’ @connjam said, while @curu wrote: ‘Mishal Husain is good at this, isn’t she?’
@Lambo88 added: ‘#BBCdebate > #ITVdebate Mishal Husain is a far superior moderator giving everyone a fair say.’
@EddieBurfi said: ‘What a stark difference from the shambles that was the #ITVDebate. Mishal Husain was the perfect choice for the #BBCDebate.’
Rayner and Mordaunt were joined by Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, deputy Liberal Democrat leader Daisy Cooper, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, Carla Denyer of the Green Party and Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru.
Farage – who has been slated by his I’m A Celebrity co-star Fred Sirieix – clashed with all his competitors and was accused of ‘bigotry’, while at one point, the debate appeared to descend into chaos over heated words between Rayner and Mordaunt.
Husain stepped in during their heated exchange, with Green’s Denyer then joking it was ‘terribly dignified’.
The newsreader, 51, was once again applauded for holding the politicians to account and fact-checking their statements.
‘Tbh Mishal Husain is doing a far better job than we saw earlier this week in moderating this debate and we do have some actual points being made,’ @Cruise_Travel63 said.
‘The winner of tonight’s #BBCDebate Mishal Husain for Prime Minister!’ @MonarchyUK added, as @Graciefaced agreed: ‘I’m voting for Mishal.’
The debate elsewhere saw Mordaunt call Sunak’s D-Day blunder ‘wrong’, adding: ‘What happened was completely wrong and the Prime Minister has rightly apologised for that, apologised to veterans but also to all of us, because he was representing all of us.’
‘I didn’t go to D-Day. I think what happened was very wrong, I think the Prime Minister has apologised for that,’ she added.
The reaction to the BBC debate comes after the ITV one was branded a ‘car crash’, with viewers fuming over host Etchingham appearing to ‘allow’ Sunak to speak over Starmer.
‘@ITV why bother having Julie Etchingham mediating when she allows RS to talk over her and KS and then let him ask the questions? Poor show,’ Alexandra fumed on X.
Dean added: ‘Julie Etchingham needs to let Starmer pick up on points. Allowing Sunak to talk over and interrupt and make points but not Starmer.’
The ITV newsreader did deliver a ‘gentle reminder’ to the politicians to not speak over each other after repeated instances, while some viewers urged them not to speak over her either.
She warned: ‘Welcome to Sunak vs Starmer, the ITV debate. The first half was dominated by the cost of living and public services, now just a little information for both of our candidates here.
‘Please an appeal from me, not to speak over one other. We want to make sure that everybody can hear what you’re saying.
‘That was a gentle reminder, it may not be so gentle next time.’
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