Laura Kuenssberg needs to be replaced with Victoria Derbyshire - will BBC ever listen?

It's really time for the BBC to start listening to its audience and take the Sunday morning slot away from Laura Kuenssberg. She landed her own primetime TV show back in 2022 and was immediately met with criticism. In the years since, this has broadly been centred around alleged "bias", talking over guests and not letting people speak.

On the occasions where Victoria Derbyshire has hosted the show, viewers have had a complete switch in how they perceive the show, often praising Victoria and being thrilled that she's there. This weekend was no different, when Victoria stepped in for Laura on Sunday, October 19, prompting users to write on X: "Thank goodness, Victoria Derbyshire is presenting BBC Laura K this week." Another added: "Victoria Derbyshire! Yes! What a pleasant surprise. Thank you, BBC." A third added: "This hashtag is way more positive than usual every time Victoria Derbyshire is in the chair instead of BBCLauraK, read the room FFS."

Are the BBC ever going to listen to the public? Is that not how these kinds of jobs should be determined? If someone is popular, it would be great to see them on air more, but if they're not, maybe see them less?

All I ever see with Laura is a string of backlash whenever she's involved with anything. The public doesn't seem to have warmed to her as a host on a primetime TV show. Maybe it's because of her career as a political correspondent? People don't seem to be able to get on board with her quite as much.

Oftentimes, people will say that her shows have felt "too rehearsed" or that she's "not letting people speak", in fact, over the weekend people were thrilled because an interview with Zack Polanski was set to air and after discovering it would be Victoria heading it up, one comment on X read: "Thank goodness Laura is 'away' Victoria may actually let [Zack Polanski] speak."

So, with viewers' general consensus being that they want to see Victoria in the hot seat, why haven't we?

The answer is, honestly, who knows. Maybe the BBC hasn't realised quite how much viewers want Victoria, or maybe Victoria has turned them down, but all I can tell you for sure is that she's very much wanted.

Could it be that her background is in live, emotional reporting, focusing more on everyday issues rather than politics? Possibly, but on Sunday when she took over the show the reaction to her stint was incredible. People were literally thrilled.

She announced on Saturday that she would be stepping in for Laura ahead of her weekend show and people flooded to the comments to confirm they'll actually be watching it this week and that they couldn't wait to see her on screen.

So, while I'm NOT saying that Laura should leave her job entirely, what I am stressing is when the public is so clearly asking for something, as an organisation funded by taxpayers, they should get a say, no?