Tonight’s Have I Got News For You cancelled because of guest Change UK leader

Tonight’s episode of Have I Got News For You has been cancelled because the show was set to welcome Change UK leader Heidi Allen as a guest.

The BBC pulled the latest episode just minutes before it was due to air on Friday night.

Viewers who tuned in to watch the show how the show saw it had been replaced by BBC’s Would I Lie To You instead of the usual 9pm slot.

In a mysterious tweet, the show apologised to viewers, saying: ‘Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of #HIGNFY – no, we didn’t book Danny Baker.

‘We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening. Sorry.’

Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of #HIGNFY – no, we didn’t book Danny Baker. We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening.
Sorry.

— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) May 10, 2019

MP Heidi Allen resigned from the Conservative Party in February to join the newly formed Independent Group.

A BBC statement said: ‘The BBC has specific editorial guidelines that apply during election periods.

‘Because of this it would be inappropriate to feature political party leaders on entertainment programmes during this short election period, which does not allow for equal representation to be achieved.

‘So we will not broadcast the scheduled episode of HIGNFY featuring Heidi Allen, leader of Change UK.

‘We will look to broadcast this episode at a later date.’

The European elections are set to take place on May 23.