IS it just me or do other TV viewers feel they are being treated like forgetful old timers?

Several 30 minute and 60 minute programmes give only half that time in actual “interesting” content.

The opening scenes tell us what happened in the last programme, then they flit through what is to come in this edition, then it is repeated again, sometimes the same snippet four times in one edition.

At the end of the programme we are told what will come next in the series, so all in all we are bored to tears watching several ‘repeats’ in one 30 minute slot.

The main culprits I am sad to say are Michael Portillo (Railway Journeys) and Dick Strawbridge (French Chateau DIY), along with many other programmes like Great Canal Journeys (Timothy West and Prunella Scales) and Amazing Spaces (George Clarke).

This repeat/repeat in the same episode I find can best be overcome by recording the programme, watching it later and then fast forwarding the repeated section when viewing. So we are fast approaching a situation where the viewer becomes the editor by fast forwarding the unwanted material.

The other recently annoying TV development is when the speaker won’t look at the camera and seems to always want to look to their right at some imaginary interviewer.

Stuart Wilson,

Vesper Drive,York