THANKS to the well-orchestrated campaign (in which the sanctimonious Peter Luff MP was closely involved) to try to stop the BBC showing Jerry Springer - the Opera, I stayed up late on Saturday night to watch the show and I hope many others did, too.

It was original, amusing, satirical and enormously entertaining. No wonder it has collected four best musical prizes and been produced so far in 60 cities worldwide.

The BBC, quite rightly, was carrying out its proper function as a public service broadcaster to enable as many people as possible to see this very popular and successful show, especially those - unlike Mr Luff - who are unable to get to London easily to see it on the West End stage.

As it went out at 10pm, well after the 9pm watershed, there was plenty of time for parents to make sure their children were in bed, especially after all the warnings about the content.

Thank you, BBC, and keep on with your efforts to ensure all attitudes and tastes are properly catered for on radio and television.

The country would be very much the worse without it.

DAVID CANDLER,

St John's, Worcester.