DOCTOR Who inherited a legacy TV audience of 8.2 million from the days of Capaldi, Tennant, Smith and Eccleston yet, at New Year, with Jodie Whittaker, who has failed to nail the part, the audience fell even further from the last season to 4.9m.

The BBC has thrown everything at it to save the franchise. Featuring highly popular entertainers in Bradley Walsh and Lenny Henry; superb production values, widescreen format, new lenses, a big budget and a scriptwriter they regard as one of their best in Chris Chibnall.

Maybe Jodie can save the planet; but she cannot save a loyal audience clearly sick of the tick-box BBC multi-cultural political correctness, which has given us tedious companions, uneven pacing, jokes falling flat and her basic friendliness, which makes dramatic tension impossible. More folk were tuned in to Emmerdale.

The BBC jettisoned the show's heritage while talking of respecting its past.

John V Lloyd, Inverkeithing.

Public disorder

I WOULD concur wholeheartedly with Thelma Edwards's auld acquaintance regarding public ownership of land (Letters, January 6). One only needs to stroll through the once-hallowed green spaces at Victoria and Kelvingrove parks in Glasgow or Levengrove Park in Dumbarton to see how the once-immaculate borders, shrubberies and footpaths have declined.

On a brighter note the Spectator recently carried a story about the rewilding of the Corrour Estate in Lochaber and how the private owners have worked hand in glove with local farmers, the John Muir Trust and others to achieve their aims and in turn welcome thousands of responsible stravaigers on to their land to roam freely.

Lessons to be learned somewhere me thinks.

Archie Burleigh, Skelmorlie.

THELMA Edwards reflects on the virtues of an old friend. Poor and amiable he apparently was, but surely in his poverty-stricken state pride would have precluded his attendance at the local landowner's shoot. Whilst professing socialist principles the struggling surveyor appears to have had little faith in "the people " advancing their position by the landed estate transferring to public use.

This appears to be a case of showing undue deference to a perceived superior when there was an opportunity to highlight the social needs of the local community.

Allan C Steele, Giffnock.

Oh yes he did

RUSSELL Leadbetter's article on Alhambra pantos ("Those were the days: Will Fyffe and Harry Gordon in panto, 1942 and 1946", The Herald, January 6) has at long last set my mind at ease. The reference to Harry Gordon in a glass water tank proved my memory correct.

As a six-year-old, I was taken to that panto. The only memory I have had of it was of Harry Gordon being lowered by wire apparently into the tank where he swam, combed his hair and smoked.

He was actually behind the tank still suspended by the wire.

Happy days.

Ian Lyell, Mauchline.

The kindness of strangers

I DROPPED my wallet in Glasgow's Byres Road on Friday evening, and despite realising this quickly and retracing my steps, failed to find it. I’d like to record my thanks to the four young men who found it and went out of their way to bring it to my door less than two hours later. I’m only sorry that I wasn’t available at the time to thank them personally. Thank you, strangers, for being all that is good about Glasgow.

Paul Gardner, Glasgow G12.