IT was just after 10.40am, and I was having a break from painting the shed in the yard.

I sat down with a cuppa and had a look at Teletext, and found something I didn't know: Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was/is a comedy.

After looking at all the other programmes, I found that fact had lingered in my mind, possibly because, subconsciously, I was wondering what passed for humour in those far-off days.

"Gadzooks, Sir. But thou hast a spider hanging off the end of thine conk!"

"Really? Where? Here?"

"Ah, ha! I madest thee look, thou dirty duck!" (Gales of hysterical laughter from the audience).

Okay, you're right. I wasn't properly awake.

John Reynolds, Eldon, Co Durham