BBC turning Brexit podcast into late-night TV show replacing This Week

The BBC is turning its Brexitcast podcast into a late-night TV programme, replacing political chat show This Week hosted by Andrew Neil.

Brexitcast will air Thursdays at 11.30pm on BBC One from September and marks the first time the BBC has commissioned a podcast for television.

This Week is set to broadcast its last show next month.

Brexitcast will keep its format, with BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg and Europe editor Katya Adler continuing to present along with political correspondents Chris Mason and Adam Fleming.

The BBC promises “geeky and cheeky insights into the complicated world of Brexit from Westminster and Brussels” and “plenty of fun thrown in”.

The team will cover other major political events outside of Brexit “on occasions”, the BBC said, and broadcast from its Westminster studio.

Kuenssberg said: “Who says no one’s interested in politics? Brexitcast has grown and grown because our audience loves and deserves detailed explanations of enormous events, but likes a bit of devilment too.

“It’s an absolute thrill to bring the show to BBC One, and a privilege to invite the legendary and committed This Week audience to join us, following on from Andrew, the supreme late night host.”

Series editor Dino Sofos said: “Our nerdy podcast has been on an incredible journey but we never thought that BBC One would come knocking

“We’re over the moon that a bigger audience will now be able to find out about Adam’s Brexit binders and I’m really excited to be following in the footsteps of other podcasts including The Ricky Gervais Show and My Dad Wrote A Porno in making the move to the small screen.

“Crucially though, making a TV version of the podcast doesn’t mean the format will change… after all, Brexitcast means Brexitcast”.

Gavin Allen, the BBC’s head of news output, said: “Brexitcast is exactly what political coverage should – and in this polarised climate – needs to be about: expert, accessible, treating politicians like grown-ups and politics as complex.

“Seeking to learn not lambast, and yet still with plenty of fun thrown in. We’re delighted therefore to bring this fresh new format to BBC One and to replicate the success we’ve seen, but without changing the formula that’s got it to where it is.”

Picture: BBC