Dr Jane Marshall is ready for tonight's debateImage caption: Dr Jane Marshall is ready for tonight's debate
Just 15 minutes until the debate begins, so what are the expectations of the audience?
Dr Jane Marshall is a GP in Edinburgh and wants to know
if the candidates will honour a promise of funding mental health services in
primary care.
Jane also wants to ask Humza Yousaf about the government’s
policy on health and inequality.
“People are used to bashing the SNP but they have had a
welcome focus on equality in health care,” she says. “The problem is it takes a
long time to see the benefit.”
BBCCopyright: BBC
Kate Doherty is an SNP member who won't vote until after this debateImage caption: Kate Doherty is an SNP member who won't vote until after this debate
Kate Doherty is an SNP member attending the debate
tonight. She has watched all the debates so far and says she will
probably vote tomorrow, following tonight’s debate.
“I am almost certain who I’m going to vote for, but not
100%,” she says. “I am really interested in energy and the coalition with the
Greens. I don’t see any reason for the next first minister to abandon it.”
Kate is concerned about a “potential power grab” by the UK
Parliament, saying the recent Section 35 Order issued by the UK government over
the gender reform recognition bill is “winding her up”.
Who is Humza Yousaf?
BBCCopyright: BBC
The bookies favourite to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as first minister, Humza Yousaf is widely seen as the preferred candidate of the SNP establishment.
His pitch has been to stress his progressive values - he is the only one of the candidates to say he would challenge in the courts the UK government's block on controversial gender recognition reforms.
On independence, he has said he would look to build a consistent and conclusive majority in favour and that it "isn't good enough to have polls that put support for independence at 50% or 51%".
Elected as a list MSP in 2011, his ministerial portfolios have included Europe & international development, transport and justice - as well as his current role as health secretary.
His opponents have focused on his record as a minister, with Kate Forbes notably saying during the STV debate: "You were transport minister and the trains were never on time, when you were justice secretary the police were stretched to breaking point, and now as health minister we've got record high waiting times".
He has also faced questions on why he was absent from the final Holyrood vote on gay marriage, after Alex Salmond claimed he was under pressure from religious leaders to skip the vote.
Mr Yousaf firmly denies that, insisting the vote clashed with an important meeting to discuss the case of a Scot on death row in Pakistan.
Humza Yousaf has what it takes to be FM insists MP
Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland
Humza Yousaf has garnered a lot of MSPs and MPs to his cause and is seen by many as the continuity candidate.
Tommy Sheppard, the SNP MP for Edinburgh East, tells Drivetime he does not think the debates have been rammies: "I think it's quite healthy to have what is a passionate debate amongst people about the way forward."
Sheppard insists Humza Yousaf has what it takes to be first minister and continuity is no bad thing.
"I think the general continuity and the broad consensus we've had over the last few years is something that we should be building apon, not ditching."
The audience has assembled...
BBCCopyright: BBC
Mansfield Traquair Centre is known as Edinburgh's Sistine ChapelImage caption: Mansfield Traquair Centre is known as Edinburgh's Sistine Chapel
The
audience have made their way through the large red doors of the Mansfield
Traquair Centre.
They
all had to undergo a security check on arrival.
After
being served tea and coffee In a reception area, they are now being seated in
the main auditorium.
At a crucial moment in the leadership campaign, the
candidates will need to choose their tactics carefully.
Eyebrows were raised in the first TV debate by an explosion
of rather personal attacks and arguments.
Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf seem keen to try to knock each
other out, while Ash Regan is critical of how the SNP as a whole has been run.
They will need to weigh up the potential short-term benefit
of landing a savage blow on an opponent, versus the longer-term damage of
seeing it played back in Conservative and Labour campaign ads.
There is also a question over what SNP members want to hear
from the candidates.
Do they want a unifier who will preside over a broader team,
or strong individual hand on the wheel? Someone unafraid to “tell it like it
is”, or a doughty defender of the government’s record?
More widely, what do they want to hear on social justice
issues, on the economy, and on independence strategy?
Each of the candidates seem to have a slightly different
idea about what the membership wants or needs – and the result will be an
interesting indicator of where the SNP stands in 2023.
Who is Kate Forbes?
BBCCopyright: BBC
Kate Forbes has risen rapidly through the SNP ranks since her election as an MSP in 2016, famously promoted to finance secretary and delivering the Scottish budget at just a few hours notice after the resignation of Derek Mackay in 2018.
She was on maternity leave when Nicola Sturgeon announced she was stepping down, but quickly confirmed she was in the running to succeed her.
A devout Christian and a member of the Free Church of Scotland, attention has focused on her views on social issues, particularly after she revealed she would not have voted for same-sex marriage had she been an MSP at the time.
The gender recognition reform vote took place while she was on maternity leave, but she has said she would not have voted for the bill in its current form.
She has stressed, however, that she would work to uphold the rights of all Scots.
Her main pitch has been that she wants to do things differently, with an emphasis on growing the economy which she argues would allow the government to better tackle the cost of living crisis and child poverty.
During an earlier TV debate she declared it was time for a new generation to lead the party, adding: "More of the same is not a manifesto - it is an acceptance of mediocrity."
She also launched a particularly barbed critique of Humza Yousaf's record in government, leading to some criticism within the party that she was trashing her own government's performance.
Mr Yousaf hit back, suggesting the party would "lurch to the right" under her leadership.
'You build confidence in independence through competent government'
Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland
Michelle Thomson, SNP MSP for Falkirk East is backing Kate Forbes and says the debates have to be put into perspective: "The only way the candidates will differentiate themselves is by setting out clearly their stall."
Thomson says there would be no competition at all if everyone just went on stage and agreed about everything.
She says everybody recognises Kate Forbes is extremely capable and "no-one can forget the time she was literally helicoptered in to take over the budget several years ago".
Thomson tells John Beattie's Drivetime that Kate Forbes understands the economy fundamentally and also is one of the few MSPs who understands the fiscal framework.
"You build confidence in independence through competent government."
She agrees with Kate Forbes that there needs to be a reset..
"I think she is the future, she's a fresh voice, she comes with previous hinterland in various walks of life and I think we need to look to the future. "
Who is Ash Regan?
BBCCopyright: BBC
Ash Regan was until recently relatively unknown outside of the Holyrood bubble despite having served as community safety minister for four years - but she raised her profile when she resigned over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender.
She is widely seen as an outsider in the contest, trailing behind Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes in the few polls that have been published - but she points out it is the SNP membership who get to decide.
She appears more strident on independence than the other two candidates, accusing them of being "wishy washy" on the issue. She would regard all future elections as a test of public opinion, and says a simple pro-independence majority would be sufficient to open negotiations with the UK government.
Ms Regan raised eyebrows by suggesting that it may be possible to create a new Scottish currency within months of independence - but admitted during the Sky News debate that she didn't have all the details worked out yet. She has promised to start making preparations from day one of becoming SNP leader.
The SNP's power sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens could be on shaky ground if she won - her criticism of the planned bottle return scheme, support for the North Sea oil and gas industry and her concerns about gender recognition reform are at odds with the SNP's current partners in government.
She has pledged to unite the various Yes groups and political parties through an Independence Convention, and would not rule out readmitting Alex Salmond to the SNP, despite him currently leading the rival Alba party.
Let's take a look at the three candidates and their supporters who have been talking to John Beattie on BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime.
The outside bet in the race is Ash Regan - who rose to prominence after resigning from Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet over the Gender Reform Bill.
Cowdenbeath Councillor Bailey-Lee Robb is involved in Ash Regan's campaign team, and he insists she is the change candidate.
"She's the change that the SNP needs, that Scotland so desperately needs.
"Continuity won't cut it in this race and Scotland is fed up of continuity."
He argues Regan has the best policies to take the country forward.
There have been a few mistakes by the SNP and Humza Yousaf has left all his portfolios in a worst state when he moves on, says Mr Bailey-Lee Robb.
The stage is set for the Debate Night Special
Bryn Palmer
BBCCopyright: BBC
Now we just need the audience!Image caption: Now we just need the audience!
On each side of the aisle are six rows of seats.
The three candidates will stand next to each other on the
left side at the front, with host Stephen Jardine on the right.
Not long to go now...
Bryn Palmer
BBCCopyright: BBC
Floor Manager Jady Darby is ready for the off at 20:00Image caption: Floor Manager Jady Darby is ready for the off at 20:00
Jady Darby is a freelance floor manager who will be helping
coordinate the audience as they move into their seats
Jady was in Rome last weekend working on a Six Nations rugby
match between Italy and Wales, and has recently been working on Hit List on BBC One, so he’s nothing if not versatile.
“I’ve worked on a few Debate Nights where we record them in
advance but these are extra special and on a much bigger scale because it is
live,” he says. “You’ve got to get it right and then go for it.”
Jady will spend half-an-hour with the audience beforehand,
making them feel comfortable, rehearsing a "debate’" to get them relaxed for
when their big moment comes.
“Once they come in and see the lights, some people can get a
bit nervous. But I tell them, ‘Don’t be afraid to put your hand up – this is
just as much about you as the politicians'.”
The night the SNP leadership contest turned personal
The first TV debate was hosted by STV and proved to be explosiveImage caption: The first TV debate was hosted by STV and proved to be explosive
As we await the start of the final TV debate of the SNP leadership contest, it's worth looking back at the fiery first one.
It was a surprisingly rancorous affair, with the three candidates attacking each other as well as the party's record in government and in the pursuit of independence.
What did it mean for the race going forward, and for how the SNP will govern once it's all over?
Stephen Jardine is the regular presenter of BBC Scotland's Debate Night programmeImage caption: Stephen Jardine is the regular presenter of BBC Scotland's Debate Night programme
This is the fourth and final TV debate of the leadership campaign before SNP members choose who will succeed Nicola Sturgeon and become the party's next leader and first minister of Scotland.
What's different is that this will be the first debate - outside of hustings with party members - where the audience can quiz the three candidates directly.
A 100-strong audience - a representative cross-section of the public - have submitted questions in advance and will be directed to ask them by host Stephen Jardine.
BBCCopyright: BBC
The set is ready inside the Mansfield Traquair Centre in EdinburghImage caption: The set is ready inside the Mansfield Traquair Centre in Edinburgh
While the biggest proportion of the audience will be SNP voters, it is also an opportunity for members of the public not persuaded by the SNP's case to put their points to the candidates.
There will be no opening statements from Kate Forbes, Ash Regan or Humza Yousaf - it will be straight into questions from the audience in a "town hall" style format.
Expect the candidates to field questions on the big issues around public services, the economy and the constitution.
It should all take an hour and begins at 20:00.
Curtice: All to play for in SNP leadership contest
Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert
PA MEDIACopyright: PA MEDIA
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf have been taking part in a series of party hustings and televised debatesImage caption: Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf have been taking part in a series of party hustings and televised debates
Since Nicola Sturgeon announced on 16 February that she was to stand down as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister, there have been numerous polls of how voters in Scotland would vote if they had a say in who should take over.
These have suggested that Kate Forbes is most popular among the Scottish public as a whole.
On average, four polls conducted over the last week or so have found that 30% would prefer Kate Forbes, 20% Humza Yousaf, and 10% Ash Regan. That said, as many as 40% have either said that they don't know or that they do not have a preference for any of the candidates.
However, the battle to become Scotland's next first minister will not be decided by voters as a whole.
Rather, it will be determined by members of the SNP, who, according to one recent estimate, now number just under 80,000 people.
Their views may not necessarily reflect those of Scots in general. Indeed the polls have shown that even among those who would currently or have recently voted SNP the picture is rather different, with Yousaf seemingly neck and neck with Forbes.
Where is the debate tonight? Edinburgh's 'Sistine Chapel'
Bryn Palmer
BBCCopyright: BBC
Mansfield Traquair Centre bathed in early evening sunshineImage caption: Mansfield Traquair Centre bathed in early evening sunshine
The building being used for tonight’s debate is the Mansfield
Traquair Centre, Edinburgh’s self-styled "Sistine Chapel".
A former Catholic Apostolic Church completed in 1885, these
days it is used for weddings, parties and corporate events, writes Bryn Palmer from the debate venue.
It also houses the Scottish Council for Voluntary
Organisations and is a hub for a number of voluntary bodies and charities.
The party members deciding the next first minister
Video content
Video caption: SNP leadership race: The party members deciding the next first ministerSNP leadership race: The party members deciding the next first minister
The voting only opened on Monday in the leadership contest - but the candidates have already been pitching for votes in a series of TV debates, campaign events and hustings for SNP members.
We went along to a hustings event in Glasgow to find out what issues matter to some of the party members, activists and councillors choosing Scotland’s next first minister.
Video by Morgan Spence and Carol Duncan
'Don't Know' is still running strong in every poll
There is plenty riding on tonight’s TV debate for Kate
Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf.
The leadership race might feel like it’s been going on for
quite some time now, but voting only actually opened on Monday.
Some super-keen SNP members may have made their minds up and
cast their ballots already, but there are suggestions that many have not.
“Don’t know” is still running strongly in every poll – even
at this stage, there are likely enough undecided voters to make a decisive
difference.
The fact the debate is in front of a studio audience and is
being beamed out nation-wide is also significant.
The victor will have to be first minister for the whole
country.
How they come across to and interact with the
public beyond the SNP membership is going to be vital – not just in winning
this race, but in governing afterwards
Some votes may have already been cast
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
Voting in the SNP leadership election opened yesterday as the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon entered its final fortnight.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and ex-minister Ash Regan are in the running to become Scotland's next first minister.
Party members will select their preferred candidates using the Single Transferable Vote system.
The result will be announced after the ballot closes on Monday 27 March.
Party members will be asked to rank the three candidates in order of preference, and if no single candidate secures more than 50% of votes on first preferences, the person in third place will be eliminated.
SNP leadership: The battle raging for the party's soul
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
BBC Scotland will this evening host the latest debate between the three candidates who want to lead the Scottish National Party, in a race which has exposed old divisions.
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf will answer audience questions in Edinburgh from 20:00.
The BBC's Scotland editor, James Cook, takes an in depth look at the state of the SNP here.
Welcome
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
They were all smiles at the in-house hustings events - perhaps less so after the TV debatesImage caption: They were all smiles at the in-house hustings events - perhaps less so after the TV debates
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the SNP Leadership Debate on the BBC.
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf will answer audience questions in Edinburgh this evening.
A special edition of the Debate Night programme will air at 20:00 on BBC One Scotland.
We'll bring you updates, analysis and reaction throughout the evening.
The debate, hosted by Stephen Jardine, will also be streamed live here on this page and on BBC iPlayer.
Live Reporting
BBC Scotland News
All times stated are UK
What are the audience expectations?
Just 15 minutes until the debate begins, so what are the expectations of the audience?
Dr Jane Marshall is a GP in Edinburgh and wants to know if the candidates will honour a promise of funding mental health services in primary care.
Jane also wants to ask Humza Yousaf about the government’s policy on health and inequality.
“People are used to bashing the SNP but they have had a welcome focus on equality in health care,” she says. “The problem is it takes a long time to see the benefit.”
Kate Doherty is an SNP member attending the debate tonight. She has watched all the debates so far and says she will probably vote tomorrow, following tonight’s debate.
“I am almost certain who I’m going to vote for, but not 100%,” she says. “I am really interested in energy and the coalition with the Greens. I don’t see any reason for the next first minister to abandon it.”
Kate is concerned about a “potential power grab” by the UK Parliament, saying the recent Section 35 Order issued by the UK government over the gender reform recognition bill is “winding her up”.
Who is Humza Yousaf?
The bookies favourite to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as first minister, Humza Yousaf is widely seen as the preferred candidate of the SNP establishment.
His pitch has been to stress his progressive values - he is the only one of the candidates to say he would challenge in the courts the UK government's block on controversial gender recognition reforms.
On independence, he has said he would look to build a consistent and conclusive majority in favour and that it "isn't good enough to have polls that put support for independence at 50% or 51%".
Elected as a list MSP in 2011, his ministerial portfolios have included Europe & international development, transport and justice - as well as his current role as health secretary.
His opponents have focused on his record as a minister, with Kate Forbes notably saying during the STV debate: "You were transport minister and the trains were never on time, when you were justice secretary the police were stretched to breaking point, and now as health minister we've got record high waiting times".
He has also faced questions on why he was absent from the final Holyrood vote on gay marriage, after Alex Salmond claimed he was under pressure from religious leaders to skip the vote.
Mr Yousaf firmly denies that, insisting the vote clashed with an important meeting to discuss the case of a Scot on death row in Pakistan.
Humza Yousaf has what it takes to be FM insists MP
Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland
Humza Yousaf has garnered a lot of MSPs and MPs to his cause and is seen by many as the continuity candidate.
Tommy Sheppard, the SNP MP for Edinburgh East, tells Drivetime he does not think the debates have been rammies: "I think it's quite healthy to have what is a passionate debate amongst people about the way forward."
Sheppard insists Humza Yousaf has what it takes to be first minister and continuity is no bad thing.
"I think the general continuity and the broad consensus we've had over the last few years is something that we should be building apon, not ditching."
The audience has assembled...
The audience have made their way through the large red doors of the Mansfield Traquair Centre.
They all had to undergo a security check on arrival.
After being served tea and coffee In a reception area, they are now being seated in the main auditorium.
'A crucial moment in the leadership campaign'
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent
At a crucial moment in the leadership campaign, the candidates will need to choose their tactics carefully.
Eyebrows were raised in the first TV debate by an explosion of rather personal attacks and arguments.
Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf seem keen to try to knock each other out, while Ash Regan is critical of how the SNP as a whole has been run.
They will need to weigh up the potential short-term benefit of landing a savage blow on an opponent, versus the longer-term damage of seeing it played back in Conservative and Labour campaign ads.
There is also a question over what SNP members want to hear from the candidates.
Do they want a unifier who will preside over a broader team, or strong individual hand on the wheel? Someone unafraid to “tell it like it is”, or a doughty defender of the government’s record?
More widely, what do they want to hear on social justice issues, on the economy, and on independence strategy?
Each of the candidates seem to have a slightly different idea about what the membership wants or needs – and the result will be an interesting indicator of where the SNP stands in 2023.
Who is Kate Forbes?
Kate Forbes has risen rapidly through the SNP ranks since her election as an MSP in 2016, famously promoted to finance secretary and delivering the Scottish budget at just a few hours notice after the resignation of Derek Mackay in 2018.
She was on maternity leave when Nicola Sturgeon announced she was stepping down, but quickly confirmed she was in the running to succeed her.
A devout Christian and a member of the Free Church of Scotland, attention has focused on her views on social issues, particularly after she revealed she would not have voted for same-sex marriage had she been an MSP at the time.
The gender recognition reform vote took place while she was on maternity leave, but she has said she would not have voted for the bill in its current form.
She has stressed, however, that she would work to uphold the rights of all Scots.
Her main pitch has been that she wants to do things differently, with an emphasis on growing the economy which she argues would allow the government to better tackle the cost of living crisis and child poverty.
During an earlier TV debate she declared it was time for a new generation to lead the party, adding: "More of the same is not a manifesto - it is an acceptance of mediocrity."
She also launched a particularly barbed critique of Humza Yousaf's record in government, leading to some criticism within the party that she was trashing her own government's performance.
Mr Yousaf hit back, suggesting the party would "lurch to the right" under her leadership.
Read a full profile of Kate Forbes
'You build confidence in independence through competent government'
Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland
Michelle Thomson, SNP MSP for Falkirk East is backing Kate Forbes and says the debates have to be put into perspective: "The only way the candidates will differentiate themselves is by setting out clearly their stall."
Thomson says there would be no competition at all if everyone just went on stage and agreed about everything.
She says everybody recognises Kate Forbes is extremely capable and "no-one can forget the time she was literally helicoptered in to take over the budget several years ago".
Thomson tells John Beattie's Drivetime that Kate Forbes understands the economy fundamentally and also is one of the few MSPs who understands the fiscal framework.
"You build confidence in independence through competent government."
She agrees with Kate Forbes that there needs to be a reset..
"I think she is the future, she's a fresh voice, she comes with previous hinterland in various walks of life and I think we need to look to the future. "
Who is Ash Regan?
Ash Regan was until recently relatively unknown outside of the Holyrood bubble despite having served as community safety minister for four years - but she raised her profile when she resigned over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender.
She is widely seen as an outsider in the contest, trailing behind Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes in the few polls that have been published - but she points out it is the SNP membership who get to decide.
She appears more strident on independence than the other two candidates, accusing them of being "wishy washy" on the issue. She would regard all future elections as a test of public opinion, and says a simple pro-independence majority would be sufficient to open negotiations with the UK government.
Ms Regan raised eyebrows by suggesting that it may be possible to create a new Scottish currency within months of independence - but admitted during the Sky News debate that she didn't have all the details worked out yet. She has promised to start making preparations from day one of becoming SNP leader.
The SNP's power sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens could be on shaky ground if she won - her criticism of the planned bottle return scheme, support for the North Sea oil and gas industry and her concerns about gender recognition reform are at odds with the SNP's current partners in government.
She has pledged to unite the various Yes groups and political parties through an Independence Convention, and would not rule out readmitting Alex Salmond to the SNP, despite him currently leading the rival Alba party.
You can read a full profile of Ash Regan here
'Ash Regan is the change candidate'
Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland
Let's take a look at the three candidates and their supporters who have been talking to John Beattie on BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime.
The outside bet in the race is Ash Regan - who rose to prominence after resigning from Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet over the Gender Reform Bill.
Cowdenbeath Councillor Bailey-Lee Robb is involved in Ash Regan's campaign team, and he insists she is the change candidate.
"She's the change that the SNP needs, that Scotland so desperately needs.
"Continuity won't cut it in this race and Scotland is fed up of continuity."
He argues Regan has the best policies to take the country forward.
There have been a few mistakes by the SNP and Humza Yousaf has left all his portfolios in a worst state when he moves on, says Mr Bailey-Lee Robb.
The stage is set for the Debate Night Special
Bryn Palmer
On each side of the aisle are six rows of seats.
The three candidates will stand next to each other on the left side at the front, with host Stephen Jardine on the right.
Not long to go now...
Bryn Palmer
Jady Darby is a freelance floor manager who will be helping coordinate the audience as they move into their seats
Jady was in Rome last weekend working on a Six Nations rugby match between Italy and Wales, and has recently been working on Hit List on BBC One, so he’s nothing if not versatile.
“I’ve worked on a few Debate Nights where we record them in advance but these are extra special and on a much bigger scale because it is live,” he says. “You’ve got to get it right and then go for it.”
Jady will spend half-an-hour with the audience beforehand, making them feel comfortable, rehearsing a "debate’" to get them relaxed for when their big moment comes.
“Once they come in and see the lights, some people can get a bit nervous. But I tell them, ‘Don’t be afraid to put your hand up – this is just as much about you as the politicians'.”
The night the SNP leadership contest turned personal
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent
As we await the start of the final TV debate of the SNP leadership contest, it's worth looking back at the fiery first one.
It was a surprisingly rancorous affair, with the three candidates attacking each other as well as the party's record in government and in the pursuit of independence.
What did it mean for the race going forward, and for how the SNP will govern once it's all over?
Click here to find out.
How is this debate going to work?
Bryn Palmer
This is the fourth and final TV debate of the leadership campaign before SNP members choose who will succeed Nicola Sturgeon and become the party's next leader and first minister of Scotland.
What's different is that this will be the first debate - outside of hustings with party members - where the audience can quiz the three candidates directly.
A 100-strong audience - a representative cross-section of the public - have submitted questions in advance and will be directed to ask them by host Stephen Jardine.
While the biggest proportion of the audience will be SNP voters, it is also an opportunity for members of the public not persuaded by the SNP's case to put their points to the candidates.
There will be no opening statements from Kate Forbes, Ash Regan or Humza Yousaf - it will be straight into questions from the audience in a "town hall" style format.
Expect the candidates to field questions on the big issues around public services, the economy and the constitution.
It should all take an hour and begins at 20:00.
Curtice: All to play for in SNP leadership contest
Professor Sir John Curtice
Polling expert
Since Nicola Sturgeon announced on 16 February that she was to stand down as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister, there have been numerous polls of how voters in Scotland would vote if they had a say in who should take over.
These have suggested that Kate Forbes is most popular among the Scottish public as a whole.
On average, four polls conducted over the last week or so have found that 30% would prefer Kate Forbes, 20% Humza Yousaf, and 10% Ash Regan. That said, as many as 40% have either said that they don't know or that they do not have a preference for any of the candidates.
However, the battle to become Scotland's next first minister will not be decided by voters as a whole.
Rather, it will be determined by members of the SNP, who, according to one recent estimate, now number just under 80,000 people.
Their views may not necessarily reflect those of Scots in general. Indeed the polls have shown that even among those who would currently or have recently voted SNP the picture is rather different, with Yousaf seemingly neck and neck with Forbes.
Where is the debate tonight? Edinburgh's 'Sistine Chapel'
Bryn Palmer
The building being used for tonight’s debate is the Mansfield Traquair Centre, Edinburgh’s self-styled "Sistine Chapel".
A former Catholic Apostolic Church completed in 1885, these days it is used for weddings, parties and corporate events, writes Bryn Palmer from the debate venue.
It also houses the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and is a hub for a number of voluntary bodies and charities.
The party members deciding the next first minister
Video content
The voting only opened on Monday in the leadership contest - but the candidates have already been pitching for votes in a series of TV debates, campaign events and hustings for SNP members.
We went along to a hustings event in Glasgow to find out what issues matter to some of the party members, activists and councillors choosing Scotland’s next first minister.
Video by Morgan Spence and Carol Duncan
'Don't Know' is still running strong in every poll
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent
There is plenty riding on tonight’s TV debate for Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf.
The leadership race might feel like it’s been going on for quite some time now, but voting only actually opened on Monday.
Some super-keen SNP members may have made their minds up and cast their ballots already, but there are suggestions that many have not.
“Don’t know” is still running strongly in every poll – even at this stage, there are likely enough undecided voters to make a decisive difference.
The fact the debate is in front of a studio audience and is being beamed out nation-wide is also significant.
The victor will have to be first minister for the whole country.
How they come across to and interact with the public beyond the SNP membership is going to be vital – not just in winning this race, but in governing afterwards
Some votes may have already been cast
Voting in the SNP leadership election opened yesterday as the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon entered its final fortnight.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and ex-minister Ash Regan are in the running to become Scotland's next first minister.
Party members will select their preferred candidates using the Single Transferable Vote system.
The result will be announced after the ballot closes on Monday 27 March.
Party members will be asked to rank the three candidates in order of preference, and if no single candidate secures more than 50% of votes on first preferences, the person in third place will be eliminated.
SNP leadership: The battle raging for the party's soul
BBC Scotland will this evening host the latest debate between the three candidates who want to lead the Scottish National Party, in a race which has exposed old divisions.
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf will answer audience questions in Edinburgh from 20:00.
The BBC's Scotland editor, James Cook, takes an in depth look at the state of the SNP here.
Welcome
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the SNP Leadership Debate on the BBC.
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf will answer audience questions in Edinburgh this evening.
A special edition of the Debate Night programme will air at 20:00 on BBC One Scotland.
We'll bring you updates, analysis and reaction throughout the evening.
The debate, hosted by Stephen Jardine, will also be streamed live here on this page and on BBC iPlayer.