The type of attitudes displayed by some here simply display the ignorance of those who seem to think that the BBC is just another broadcaster and the licence fee a tax.

The BBC is unique. It’s our bastion against the potential control of information by the state, who it holds to account. It is not controlled, or even influenced by, private owners who seek to impart their own views and direct policy so it favours their interests. That some of those owners seek to undermine confidence in the BBC is no coincidence.

For sure it ought to always be sensitive to a changing environment and adjust its output to match. It also needs to concentrate on its mission and leave the flippant to others better suited.

In my view it is a vital piece of the infrastructure of UK Ltd. Something we are all invested in and something we all take dividends from. Therefore we must all take our share of the costs, whether we watch or not.

With the number not paying the licence fee decreasing it may be necessary to find other ways of achieving that, without shifting the burden directly onto central taxation with all the potential danger that would create.

The most attractive would seem to be a levy collected alongside broadband provision, with an opt out only available to those who can show they hold a licence.

The only way to avoid paying would then be not to have either a licence or broadband.

The BBC haters would go ballistic. GB News and the Mail would self ignite. Tory populists and Farage would rant for months.

I would welcome it. Would Starmer?

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

MOTD isn’t important. I rarely watch it these days and prefer to listen to the manager’s comments on the web. If it got dumped Lineker would get another job at a higher salary somewhere else. Repeats suit some people, essentially the very elderly stuck at home, or in homes, who aren’t comfortable with modern technology. Same with Eastenders which I haven’t seen in years, despite one of its original characters allegedly being partly modelled on myself. One of the early writers is an old friend of mine.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

Dot Cotton ?

Kayla did Anfield & Old Trafford

No. I did though meet June Brown once and she wasn’t anything at all like her screen character. My friend wrote lots on the scripts in which was prominent, so who knows?

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

People of our age still watching Dr Who is amazing. I watched the very first episode and continued to watch every one but gave up with the female doctor and her politically correct retinue and even more politically correct story lines.

I will watch the three episodes with David Tennant (with my son) but will not watch the new black guy on principle. What comes next, a dwarf perhaps

Isn't it time the Tardis had a new paint job ? Out with the blue and in with the rainbow colours.

One more point