I’M HOPING that the country is at a watershed, and that we shall have a strong backlash.

For the last few years a large part of the population have been led, tempted and bribed into behaving like over-indulgent, greedy, bullying, foul- mouthed teenagers.

Now are we going to say enough is enough and endeavour to get back to better standards, better manners and a bit more mutual respect?

It’s difficult to find a ‘light’ programme that is not full of the swear words, of the sort that till recently you only saw written on lavatory walls.

No one minds a little innuendo, the odd suggestive remark, but things have gone too far.

Why, it’s not so very long ago that Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady caused uproar by using the phrase ‘Not bloody likely’ on the stage of the London Palladium.

I’m no prude, when you have been in the licensed trade for as long as I have, you’ve learnt to ‘Cock a deaf un’ but I am appalled at the stuff they get away with.

It’s all too easy to say ‘Well that’s the way it is.’ The fact that it’s being allowed doesn’t make it right.

I watched one Gordon Ramsay programme, cringed and never watched him again.

Why do they do it? They’re not thick people and he could be good without pandering to the lowest common denominator.

We see the outcome of all this lowering of standards for it’s now evident on our streets.

The celebs have made it seem acceptable, normal even, to bully and swear.

Programmes are all about humiliation and making people feel small.

So the BBC must stop trying to be all things to all people and get back to setting standards, giving proper role models so that youngsters and all of us have something to aspire to.

Is there a chance? Do you even think we might start to see schoolmasters wearing suits?