Producers of a live BBC independence referendum debate in Dundee struggled to find enough No voters to fill the audience.
A number of people have contacted the Courier saying they have been invited to BBC 5 Live’s debate at the Caird Hall on Tuesday as programme makers admitted to them they were struggling to get a balanced Yes/No split.
The corporation is adamant it has now managed to secure a balanced audience ahead of the show going out live at 10am.
One attendee told The Courier: “I got a call from BBC 5 Live trying to drum up people for the Caird Hall debate next week. Said they were struggling to get No-voting crowd members.
“They said they were trying to get a 50/50 audience split but finding it hard.”
A Yes voter who will be taking part in the debate even took to the internet to try to persuade his opponents to join him in the audience.
He said: “I am going along to a Radio 5 independence debate on Tuesday. Having spoken to the researchers they informed me that they need more No voters to balance up the debate.
“If you are a No voter and you fancy getting involved then PM (private message) please.”
Victoria Derbyshire will host the live Scottish Referendum debate.
She will be joined by 300 members of the public who will grill a panel of politicians and business figures representing both sides of the referendum debate.
MSP Shona Robison, Denis Canavan and Business for Scotland director Ivan McKee will state the case for independence.
Dundee-based MSP Jenny Marra, Jo Swinson MP and Daniel Johnson will represent Better Together.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “We have a confirmed audience of around 300 people which is balanced with an equal number of yes to no voters.
“Finding and balancing an audience of this size takes time. We did reach our quota of yes voters first which meant we spent a period of time specifically targeting no voters in order to balance numbers.
“This is normal in a programme of this type where political balance is required.”