18 JUNE 2005, Page 46

Q. My wife, and at least two of my daughters,

seem to have acquired a taste for television programmes such as EastEnders. These programmes feature nothing but unpleasant people shouting at one another the whole time. What is worse is that the wife and daughters are showing signs of adopting similar habits. What should I do?

D.M., Oxfordshire A. Record an episode and make your family sit with you while you fast-forward through the programme with the volume button on mute. They may find it instructive when they see that the invariable formula involves a scene-change every 60 seconds with rotating combinations of cast members shouting at each other. With this new perspective, they may lose their taste for the soaps. If not, insist that they watch them with subtitles so that at least the noise does not pollute the sanctuary of your home.