OPINIONS / Is `Blind Date' too rude?

REDMOND O'HANLON, writer: Blind Date is an excellent example of Darwin's theory of sexual selection. I've only watched it once, and I thought it was very sexy and probably not rude enough.

MARY WHITEHOUSE: Blind Date mixes the cheap with the rich. Some of its stuff is an insult to viewers, some of it is delightfully innocent.

NED SHERRIN, radio presenter: I adore it, but I'm waiting for Peter Tatchell to demand equal time for gay daters.

MARCELLE D'ARGY SMITH, editor, Cosmopolitan: I find it gratuitously ill-mannered. I want to know if the contestants liked each other, not whether they got their leg over.

CHRISTINA DODWELL, explorer and writer: Blind Date is a tragedy for all the romantics of this world. I'm a traditionalist and believe falling in love takes longer than two statements. It used to be family entertainment but it stuns me now when I see it - it's really raunchy stuff. I wonder what goes through youngsters' heads when they hear what the contestants say.

VIKKI BURLEY, aged nine: It's brillant, it's my favourite programme. I like to see all the different people and they get a free holiday. Cilla Black is a very good presenter but I do get fed up with her - they could have different presenters on it, Tony from East17 would be all right.

FATHER JUDE BULLOCK: Blind Date isn't on my list of favourite viewing but I have watched it. It's trivial, a little demeaning to relationships, but not rude. Even if it was, it wouldn't particularly bother me. I am against any type of censorship on television. If people don't approve of a programme they can always switch over instead of getting hot under the collar.

DARREN JOHNSON, dispatch rider: There's no way I'd describe it as too rude. There's no swearing, no one takes their clothes off and there's no violence.

RITA DALEY, housewife: It isn't rude at all, it's great fun. There are a hell of a lot ruder things on telly. I would prefer to watch Blind Date than all the bed-hopping and violence that you normally see.

JOHN MARRAY, solicitor: It isn't rude, it's pure rubbish. Nothing ever happens, the contestants just go off to the Canary Islands. They should do the whole thing topless, including Cilla.

JOHN MCVICAR, writer: The rudest thing about Blind Date is that monster Cilla Black.