David Dimbleby

I hadn't noticed because I avoid anything he's on for fear of throwing a brick through my television! Having said that, I'll make a point of watching QT [for a short while].

Now you come to mention it, grammargran

I usually shout at DD for interrupting.

What should he call them? A while back on here a man was pilloried for calling women ladies so perhaps he can't win whatever he says? Should he call them maam or madam?

I agree with Tegan and avoid watching anything with him in it. Horrid man.

I’m quite happy for them to be called women, Nonnie, but what have the men done to warrant a ‘sir’? Why can’t he call them men?

No idea gramma. I don't care very much either! When I don't like something I tell the TV and DH what I think then switch off!

It is a matter of equivalents - if a man is "sir" then a woman should be "ma'am". If a woman is "That woman there," then a man should be "That man there".

It is quite simple. "Sir" implies respect and humility in addressing him. "That woman there", doesn't.

If he were in the services, he could try addressing a female officer with "That woman there", and see what response he gets. Oh, I see now - all the men he is speaking to must be officers, but not any of the women.

I like DD.

He sometimes says ' Madam' and 'That man in the ....tie/shirt there ... '

Surprisingly enough, I haven't kept a tally, but it has never struck me as uneven.

The trait seems to run through Dimbley men.

I shout most at the radio when juniorD is on Question time, And there is a lot of Harrumphing there too.

If I could be bothered, to time it, can't, he wastes more time uming and aching.

Could get at least 2 more questions in.

BBC and its cronies, and we pay for their bloated salaries.

I think DD has been well past his use by date for a long time but probably has friends in high places. Another bugbear of mine is interviewers that won't let the interviewee answer the question without constantly interrupting; some of them just like the sound of their own voice too much.

Now I know what I'm watching later... QT on catch up with the subtitles and pen and paper!

And l will have to watch h on Thursday now ...

I think DD does quite a good job on QT. I don't see why he shouldn't say 'that woman, there' etc. What's wrong with that? I would object if he said 'that lady, there'. I'm not a lady, never have been, but I'll always be a woman. He does also frequently say 'the man in the pink shirt' and sometimes refers to men as 'sir' and women as 'madam', so he's not discriminating. By the way, there was a picture of his ex-wife, Jocelyn Dimbleby, in The Oldie recently. Apparently they were divorced 20 years ago. She's 73, I think, but still very glamorous.

I stopped watching D.D. some time ago because of his too frequent interruptions, and his questioning of the panel; that is what the audience is there for and want to do. His brother Jonathan behaves in exactly the same way on 'Any Questions'. It is quite deliberate, I watched it being recorded and the producer engineered the programme to suit whatever BBC bias had priority at the time. She sat on the stage with the panel and used a whole range of hand gestures to instruct JD to carry on talking, interrupt, end questioning, whatever. But I did notice the use of 'woman' as opposed to 'sir' and thought it rude.
Don't bother to listen/watch either now.

I like DD, he manages to chair a group of disparate egos well. I asked a question once, after he pointed and said "you, that woman at the back". I'd no problem with that description, I was indeed that woman at the back with her hand up.
I do feel we lack a word like "ma'am" or 'madam' In America, women are respectfully called "ma'am". Like NotTooOld, I'm not a lady and much prefer to b e called a woman.