Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The British Broadcasting Corp. said more than 8 million people watched last night’s “Question Time” program with Nick Griffin, leader of the whites-only British National Party, giving the show a record audience.

“This very large audience clearly demonstrates the public’s interest in seeing elected politicians being scrutinized by the public themselves,” Mark Byford, the BBC deputy director general, said via e-mail today. “It was appropriate for Mr. Griffin to appear as a member of the panel and the BBC fulfilled its duty to uphold due impartiality by inviting him on the program.”

It was the first time that a member of the BNP, which gained its first two seats in the European Parliament in June, had been invited on the show. Griffin’s appearance sparked violent demonstrations. Political leaders from the three main parties condemned the BBC’s decision to book him. The appearance of Griffin gave “Question Time” 50 percent of U.K. viewers during the slot, said John Shield, a BBC spokesman.

Yesterday, Griffin said that Winston Churchill, who led the nation in World War II, would have belonged to his political party. “No other party would have him,” Griffin said on the program in London. “In his younger days he was extremely critical of fundamental Islam in a way which would now be described as Islamaphobic.”

Griffin also said many people find it “creepy” to see gay men kissing and that Islam is incompatible with British culture. His appearance on the political debate show was aimed at moving the party, which opposes immigration and bars all except “indigenous Caucasian” people from membership, into the mainstream from the political fringe.

The BBC, which is funded through a mandatory license fee paid by British households with a TV set, is the world’s oldest public-service broadcaster and competes in the U.K. with British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc and ITV Plc for viewers.

To contact the reporter on this story: Simon Thiel in London at sthiel1@bloomberg.net; Kitty Donaldson in London at kdonaldson1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 23, 2009 07:01 EDT