WHILST, sadly, the act of suicide cataclysmically involves the end of someone's hope of a better life, whatever the "final straw" that may have precipitated it, another disturbing fact concerning the recent death of a Jeremy Kyle guest should not go unnoticed (" Kyle pulled off air after death", The Herald, May 14). As advertised, the Jeremy Kyle Show is the most watched daytime show on British television.

On two occasions, assaults related to the programme have gone to court and resulted in sentences. The judge of a case in 2007, sentencing a man who head-butted a lodger at the recording of the show for having an affair with his wife, asserted that producers of the show deserved to be in the dock with him – accusing them of provoking him and asking him six times if he would participate.

“This type of incident is exactly what the producers want,” said the judge, who described the programme as “a form of human bear-baiting… under the guise of entertainment”, and “a morbid and depressing display of dysfunctional people… for the purposes of titillating bored members of the public”.

It may, indeed, be the case that no man is an island, but the judge's description of inhabitants of this island as "dysfunctional" should, but probably won't, send a shudder of societal nausea throughout the land.

Gerard McCulloch, Saltcoats.

Blame the retailers

REGARDING the correspondence on the Scottish Government's deposit scheme for cans and glass bottles, no matter what convoluted system is introduced to operate it the consumer and taxpayer will foot the bill, as corporations will simply add any increased overheads to the sale-price of goods. What the proposed system does not tackle is the fact that it is the retail industry that creates the waste but the consumer is landed with its disposal. For example, reusable soft drinks glass bottles were replaced with plastic bottles and cans principally to cut costs. Much of the recyclable waste created by the consumer society is as a result of steps the retail industry has taken to increase profitability. The industry must not be allowed to create a problem then walk away from it.

A more practical application would be to make it mandatory that retailers provide the necessary facilities so that customers once through the checkout could discard on shop premises the unnecessary non-biodegradable plastic wrapping that inevitably ends up in recycling bins at home. The industry would inevitably pass the cost onto the customer but it would simplify the collection and disposal of waste.

David J Crawford, Glasgow G12.

YET again we have a correspondent complaining about a tax on plastic bottles and workplace parking. Has Jim Robertson (Letters, May 14) never heard of Extinction Rebellion? Does he not know our planet is heading for catastrophe? If it wasn't for the children, whose future is at risk, nobody would be doing anything.

I have been an active environmental campaigner since 1981, and I am tired of adults not listening, so it's a relief to see that at least the young people are listening.

Margaret Forbes, Kilmacolm.

Prestwick no more?

IN response to Robert Johnston's letter (May 14) regarding carbon emissions and closing Prestwick Airport, I recently visited the facility with a group of local students. From my experience may I reassure Mr Johnston the place is already as good as closed.

Laurence Wade, Ayr.

Missing heroes

RECENT musings in your pages of comic characters (Letters, May 8, 10 & 13), prompt me to ask: what became of Smith of the Lower Third (a public school paragon) and (Flight?) Sergeant Matt Braddock (Mosquito pilot sans pareil)?

Eric Arbuckle, Largs.