Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce broke down in tears at the end of Thursday night’s programme as she announced the sudden passing of her long time colleague.

In an end-of-show clip, the newsreader shared with the audience that one of the show’s producers, Allison Fuller had sadly passed away from a sudden illness.

The 60-year-old emotionally told viewers that her beloved co-worker has been working on the popular evening show for almost three decades, recruiting thousands of audience members.

‘I just want to say before we go that very sadly last week we lost a well loved producer…oh my gosh I am going to go as well,’ Fiona said.

‘One of Question Time’s longest serving producers, Alison Fuller, she worked on this programme for something like 27 years.

‘She was responsible for recruiting audiences like you and we reckon she spoke to something like, well over a 100,000 audience members in that time.

Closing out the show, she tearfully added: ‘It was a very short and sudden illness and we are all shocked by her death.  I just want to say send my love to Ali’s family.’

Question Time is a traditional question and answer show, which typically includes a panel of MPs and other political officials.

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Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce broke down in tears at the end of Thursday night’s programme as she announced the sudden passing of her long time colleague Allison Fuller

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Closing the show, she tearfully told the audience: ‘It was a very short and sudden illness and we are all shocked by her death. I just want to say send my love to Ali’s family’

The programme is featured on BBC One on Thursday at 9pm.

Fiona took over the show’s helm from David Dimbleby in January 2019, who fronted the programme for 25 years. She was the first women ever to present the show.

When she took over the show, she said: ‘It is an honour to be asked to take on one of the great political programmes of the BBC.

‘Particularly at a time of such historic change for the UK and tumult at Westminster.

‘For many years Question Time has been presented by one of my television heroes, so I am thrilled and not a little daunted to be stepping into his shoes.

‘But it is a programme I have watched for as long as I can remember and have long wanted to be part of. I can’t wait to get started.’

A year into the job – during May 2020 – she revealed that the position was undoubtedly the hardest job she had ‘ever done’.

In 2024, the presenter announced another co-worker from Fake or Fortune, Nicky Illis, who was a ‘loved friend’ had tragically passed away.

Illis was the long-term director of Fake or Fortune, and also made series including David Dimbleby’s A Picture of Britain and drama documentary The Real Jane Austen.

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The 60-year-old emotionally told viewers that her beloved co-worker has been working on the popular evening show for almost three decades, recruiting thousands of audience members

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View gallery

Last year Bruce also paid a touching tribute to another colleague producer Nicky Illis (pictured) who tragically passed away from cancer at the age of 53

She started on The Late Show in the 1990s and went on to direct history programmes such as One Foot in the Past and The House Detectives.

In 2009, she helped develop investigative art show Fake or Fortune with historian Philip Mould and Simon Shaw. The series first aired in 2011 and Illis went on to produce and direct ten series.

During a September episode of the show, Fiona paid a touching tribute to Nicky as well as her tireless work on the art investigation programme.

‘Earlier this year we lost a much loved friend and colleague, Nicky Illis.

‘Nicky was a brilliant TV director with a passion for art, and was involved in Fake or Fortune from the very beginning. She will be so missed.’