Opera treatment for Question Time

David Dimbleby presents the real Question Time

Political programme Question Time is to be reinvented as an opera by the team behind the controversial Jerry Springer - The Opera.

Comedian Stewart Lee and writing partner Richard Thomas are penning five episodes of the series Kombat Opera Presents, which will air on BBC Two.

The pair will also reinterpret Channel 4's Wife Swap with a musical edge.

BBC executive editor of comedy commissioning Jon Rolph said the shows would be "funny and daring".

Each 30-minute episode will feature a lead, non-singing comedy character backed by the 45-piece BBC Concert Orchestra.

The cast will also feature a host of professional opera singers and West End actors.

The series is being made by Avalon Television, which confirmed the show had been made but said there were no further details to be announced as yet.

The BBC received more than 63,000 complaints over Jerry Springer - The Opera. The majority of these were logged before it was broadcast, calling it offensive because it depicted Jesus and God as talk show guests.

Broadcasting authority Ofcom also received thousands of complaints but cleared the BBC of screening an offensive programme.