David Mitchell and Ann Widdecombe are both hosting a BBC Radio 4 show about the evolution of British politeness, which started today.
Mitchell will be exploring how many times you can look at your mobile whilst with a colleague, or even if it is considered desirable to wear shorts at a restaurant in the evening.
Mitchell explains that by trying to carry on the manners of Victorian England, we have found ourselves lost and do not know how to act.
This seems quite an appropriate subject to discuss following on after the Victorian Sherlock Christmas special.
Mitchell’s series started today and will go on for three more episodes.
During the radio show Mitchell will attempt to explain why we are so often: ‘presented with a rather gloomy picture of a civilisation falling to bits. I’m (Mitchell) going to work out whether things really are that terrible, whether there’s some cause for hope, or whether a future of relentless rudeness might not be that bad at all.’
Widdecome will be presenting a five part show on a similar subject; how manners and etiquette have evolved over the years.
It is starting today similar to Mitchell’s radio show.
Mohit Bakaya, commissioning editor, of BBC Radio 4 said: ‘Issues such as freedom of speech, online trolling and respecting others are all high on our list of concerns right now. So this is a timely exploration of the rules, written and unwritten, that influence the way we behave with one another, as well as the place manners have in our modern world.’