Overview
- Following Thursday's Question Time in Clacton-on-Sea, Tom Skinner said he was paid £2,000, the BBC said non‑politician panellists are offered £150, and on Saturday he doubled down by saying that figure came from his management.
- During the programme, host Fiona Bruce told Skinner he was "part of the problem" because he profits from social platforms, and he acknowledged promoting products and posting to his 536,000 TikTok followers.
- The discussion unfolded days after a California jury awarded about £2.2 million and found Meta and Google liable for design choices that contributed to a young woman's social media addiction, which both firms plan to appeal.
- Viewer reaction was split, with some calling Skinner out of his depth and others defending him as relatable, and fellow panellist Layla Moran argued his upbeat breakfast videos are not the divisive content that drives the worst algorithms.
- Nigel Farage did not appear on the Clacton episode, and the BBC cited its policy against inviting MPs to panels held in their own constituencies except for single‑issue specials.