The Christmas edition of The Spectator features a fascinating interview with Sir Tom Stoppard, conducted by Douglas Murray.
Along the way the great playwright describes how much he enjoys silence. So, when his wife Sabrina switches on the Today programme in the morning she listens to it "very quietly". He, however, has "never, ever" listened to the programme - quietly or otherwise. He feels guilty, therefore, whenever he meets its editor Sarah Sands. I particularly liked this line of Sir Tom's:
Of course the people who do the Today programme are under the impression that everyone is listening.
Indeed.
