Today was not perfect when John Humphrys was presenting | John Humphrys

I completely understand why John Humphrys should find the Today programme lacking since he left (The hill I will die on: Radio 4’s Today programme has become really annoying since I left, 11 July). How could it be otherwise? But I am not convinced by his critique. In the latter days of his pomp, Mr Humphrys would regularly make me feel uncomfortable by his haranguing of interviewees – not always politicians – as if they were hostile witnesses.

I remember a particularly painful (for the listener) interview with a representative of a charity who was treated in that way, even though they were clearly on air to explain a problem, not to plead a cause. It wasn’t helpful. I like the mutual courtesies that Mr Humphrys derides. Of course, the interviewees are programme fodder, but someone had to be chosen, and it isn’t always easy to be heard in such a prestigious sphere. And why shouldn’t presenters and interviewees acknowledge this?

Certainly, there are flaws in the programme, although I’m not sure that I would identify the same ones as Mr Humphrys does. And, by the way, in the online version of this article he refers to “the three main presenters”; presumably, given his general theme, Justin, Nick and Amol. There is nothing to indicate he has noticed Anna and Emma, except, probably, as irritations.
Liz Fuller
London

Thank you, John Humphrys for highlighting Amol Rajan’s overstressing of “a” and “the” on the Today programme. Annoyingly, he’s not alone. This has become the Covid of pronunciation, spreading through broadcast media, politics and, yes, the king himself. What “a” travesty.
David Bauckham
Charlton, London

John Humphrys thinks “The hill I will die on” should be “The hill on which I will die”, thus perpetuating John Dryden’s now thoroughly debunked attempt to wrestle the English language into conformity with Latin grammar. Oh dear, Mr Humphrys, of what were you thinking?
Richard Saunders
East Ham, London

Pedant that I am, it is “The hill I would (choose to) die on”.
Simon Fielding
Wolverhampton

Reading John Humphrys’ criticism of the BBC Radio 4 Today programme was interesting, especially considering just how irritating he could be. The high point of the Today programme, for me, was the morning I turned the radio on and heard Brian Redhead announce the fall of the Berlin Wall. I burst into tears at the thought of the end of the cold war. Been a bit downhill ever since, really.
Jessica Deacon
Amsterdam, the Netherlands

May I just point out that the Today programme was equally annoying before John Humphrys left.
Simon McEnery
Salisbury