I am a big fan of Radio National. It is one of the best things that Australia has going for it. And I really like Breakfast. Fran Kelly is great. Peter Thompson did a great job before her. Listing to the radio in the morning is a daily highlight.

But I can’t listen this week because Kelly is on leave and the ABC have chosen to replace her with Stephen “it seems to me” Crittenden. I have tried listening, but his pompous grandstanding of his own opinions and his continual rudeness to those he is interviewing leaves me in a rage. From discussions with work mates I know that it is not just me who finds this man intensely annoying and embarrassing. Please ABC take him off the air or at least stop him from interviewing.

I couldn't disagree more with the previous poster. Though Fran has got better from her first awful weeks of presenting, I actually look forward to her holidays because I adore Stephen Crittenden. I love his erudition and enthusiasm. I rarely find him rude (there are a couple of trigger issues, I admit); generally I find myself grinning at the radio because he's managed to find some astonishingly obscure point in common with the interviewer and now both of them are getting really interested in the conversation. It's impossible not to get caught up in his passion for the subject and I'm always just astonished at the breadth of his reading and experience. I'm really hoping he gets the gig again this summer because it's the best six weeks of the year. Love your work, Stephen. Oh, and can ABC TV please bring back Critical Mass, with my second-favourite, Jonathan Biggins?

hi me again

just to put on record that i have listened to dr crittenden on the religion report a bit recently and i reckon he has improved immeasurably - the talking over the top of those he is interviewing and his inability to let pass any comment - if he was already aware of the facts raised - without pointing this out - has gone - and he seems to have largely shelved his "it seems to me", by making exactly the same point but with a question? it means that he comes across as an intelligent, informed and interesting interviewer rather than an insecure know it all

my partner is still not convinced - but he no longer appears to be regularly angering those he is interviewing and i now reckon the good doctor is alright

and i expect he checks this topic regularly and i reckon he will get a tremendous amount of satisfaction knowing that a barely literate drunk approves of his work

i still enjoyed his smugness paul barry over summe