19 JANUARY 2008, Page 22

Desert Island diss

Sir: Kate Chisholm comments that Kirsty Young has yet to breathe new life into Desert Island Discs (Radio, 12 January). Far from resuscitating the programme, I fear that Kirsty has her heel firmly planted on its windpipe. Things are not helped by the irritating way she asks all her castaways, ‘And when the waves sweep up the beach and threaten to wash away all your discs, which one will you rush to save?’ Why can’t she just say, ‘And of your eight records, which one is your favourite?’? Dr Andrew Mason