It is a collection of letters written by Mary Whitehouse, leader of the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, who perceived a coarsening of material in the BBC.

The author previously served as a ghost writer for books credited to famous people and wrote articles about music for publications.

[2] Karl Miller of the Irish Times described the style of the comments as "a smart, media-wise, Jack the Lad commentary that knows enough to recognise it’s right to ask: was she right?

"[3] The editor argued that the changes Whitehouse advocated for would have negatively affected British culture,[2] but he also believed that some of her points may have had merits.

[4] The Daily Telegraph ranked the book four of five stars, giving praise for the "relentlessly jaunty tone" in Thompson's commentary.