"In a gross and materialistic world - the guitar is a voice of spirituality and passion that many of us hear. I'm not sure that Alan Yentob has even the noticed the fire this instrument lights within people."

Well, I have wanted to light a fire under any number of performers I've had the misfortune to hear, and it would have been an added bonus to use their instruments as fuel! And believe me, I would do it with passion!

So, is it Mr. Yentob to whom you object or is it the content of the programme? Don't get me wrong, it wan't perfect; it could have done without the actors and the stupid little sketches, for instance. But I enjoyed the hour and I did actually learn a little about the origins of the guitar.

I do wonder sometimes at some of the carping that goes on about the BBC. I've seen what I consider to be irrational criticsm of Mike Harding's programme, coverage of Cambridge Festival, Jools Holland's show and so on. I consider it irrational because there doesn't appear to be anything from any other source to which the BBC can be compared.