I remember when Question Time was essential viewing for anyone with the slightest interest in politics.
Invitations to sit in the audience were highly prized too.
The first time I took part was in 1984. The ASI's Madsen Pirie was on the panel and he was allowed to invite some 'supporters' to what I think was a church hall in South London where the programme was recorded.
Half a dozen of us turned up and every time Madsen opened his mouth we applauded as loudly as we could.
Later, when I watched the programme on TV, you could clearly hear us even though we were massively outnumbered by local Labour party activists.
In the Eighties there was hardly a week when I didn't recognise at least one face in the audience, often more.
On one occasion a member of the audience complained that people were far too quick to criticise. QT, he suggested, had become "a knocking shop".
Sharp as ever the late great Robin Day responded, "Whatever else Question Time is, it cannot be accused of being a knocking shop."
It got a big laugh and the member of the audience (grinning from ear to ear) was my old friend Gary Ling!
I haven't seen Madsen on the programme for years – probably because of his insistence on giving extremely succinct answers in stark contrast to the long-winded drivel that passes for political 'debate' today.
Sadly QT is a shadow of its former self and I rarely watch it. Last night however, for a few brief minutes, it was like the old days.
With one exception (The Times' Camilla Cavendish) the panellists were ordinary (Penny Mordaunt, Mary Creagh, Nigel Farage) or dire (Russell Brand), but for sheer entertainment the programme was unbeatable.
If you didn't see it I recommend this article – What happened when Nigel Farage and Russell Brand were on Question Time together? (New Statesman) – but there are many more online.
If you get a chance watch it on iPlayer. I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud during a TV programme, and certainly not Question Time.