Exit Barnaby Joyce stage right, enter Greek scholar.

After he was a no-show on Q & A last night, the ABC panel show replaced him with Greek scholar Vrasidas Karalis.

Tony Jones made just a quick statement: “Just a quick note before we start for those who haven’t heard: Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce who was going to be on tonight’s show was instructed to withdraw from Q & A by the Prime Minister last night.”

With national politics greatly reduced it swiftly turned its attention to international affairs, discussing Greece’s vote and the EU.

But mid-way through the show a question raised the absence of Joyce. All the panelists who commented, regretted his non-appearance with policy analyst, Trisha Jha remarking, “You’ve got to be in it, to win it.”

The Australian’s Greg Sheridan encouraged the show to devote the spotlight to Liberal backbenchers.

ABC Director of Television Richard Finlayson told Media Watch the broadcaster would continue to invite frontbenchers to the show.

At the end of Q & A Jones flagged next week’s guests.

“We’re expecting the Minister for Communications Malcolm Turnbull,” he noted before acknowledging the many things that didn’t last as long as QANDA-gate “including the Apollo 11 Space Mission, the Cuban Missile Crisis which brought us to the brink of annihilation -it only ran for 13 days- and Mel Meninga’s political career which only lasted 27 seconds.”