Letter: England's shame

Sir: I completely agree with Suzanne Moore (`Forever In-ger-land' 16 June). Over the last two years I have felt an increasing sense of anger at the acceptance and endorsement of the laddish football culture that has now become middle-class, trendy, acceptable, funny, especially from such TV quiz shows as They Think It's All Over with Nick Hancock; from the boringly crude language of Lee Hurst to the cripplingly smug, embarrassed grins of Gary Lineker and David Gower and the deeply insulting "if you don't think I'm funny you're a prude" attitude of Rory McGrath - they should all know better.

I have a 14-year-old son and another of 11 and with this kind of humour, which appeals to adolescent boys, being presented by people in their thirties, coupled with the endorsement of TV companies putting their programmes on at prime times, it makes it almost impossible not to sound "old-fashioned" and "boring" to a teenager when things such as behaviour and language are discussed in the family.

GILLIE RUSSELL

Richmond, Surrey