BBC DECISION A REAL TURN OFF

I WRITE to express my indignation and outrage at the wretched decision of the BBC to end free TV licences for the over 75s as the corporation maintain they cannot scrape by on an annual budget of £4b without fleecing old folk.

Once the voice of the nation it has been compromised by the left wing and has lost the confidence of its public.

It is obsessed with a diversity agenda that ignores the views of its majority of listeners.

Impartiality has gone out of the studio window and now it takes great delight in smearing the dead, distorting our past and pandering to prejudices.

In its attempt to raise a further £80m it intends axing BBC Four to boost youth TV which will deprive the elderly who rely on the Arts and culture channel.

It has plans to scrap all regional current affairs programming despite averaging a 7m viewing figure since lockdown.

It seems the 3m households hit with the £157.50 tax must provide funding for overpaid and cocooned executives, so called celebrities and egotistical presenters on eye watering salaries.

The obscene annual wages of stars Gary Lineker (£1.75m), Steve Wright (£465,000) and

Zoe Ball (£370,000) et al illustrate how the BBC has made its presenters and their egos more important than programme content.

Unbelievably the new set for the depressing Eastenders has cost an infuriating £87m whilst cancelling planned dramas and comedies, airing repeats instead.

The fact remains that the director general Lord Hall in 2015 agreed that Auntie would take responsibility for the £745m cost of providing free TV licences and it has now reneged acting in a ruthless and self serving manner.

I suspect this shoddy decision will come back to haunt them.

Pensioners have suffered more than most in the lockdown, confined to their homes and TV remains their number one contact with the outside world.

If like me you have lost patience with the broadcaster I suggest the obvious remedy is to reach for the off switch! Jim Oldcorn, Ridgeway, Great Harwood