My Partner and I have been avid watchers of DonD, and have been to Bristol to see two shows being recorded, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Michael is blind and I record the programme, and we watch in our respective bedrooms at night. We have an internal telephone system so I ring him and he “watches” the programme while I give a running commentary of the box’s amount. We both feel that the “fun” is now ebbing due to some ludicrous remarks by the banker, and a feeling of arrogance and contempt by some of the remarks he has made to the contestants. We also feel that Noel compounds the bad feeling by holding the telephone up to his mike to hear the banker cackling like a chicken caught up in a combine harvester. We know this is a game of luck, chance, call it what you will, but does the banker have to make derogatory remarks which takes the edge of what is compelling viewing. The show has run for over 700 viewings, and is now getting slightly tarnished by unnecessary taunts from the banker. The friends who introduced the programme to us have now stopped watching, and I wonder how many other viewers are switching off. Just my thoughts

Why do you have separate bedrooms?

Yeah, I was wondering that.

We are “Partners” because we share together. I moved in with Michael because I was on my own as was he. I became his carer, and for convenience with house bills and local authorities, became his partner. We breed Pomeranians and Ragdoll cats. We are in a platonic friendship and basically lead separate lives together

I find it surprising that this was the question, not the substantive point!

I can see where you're coming from. It probably attracts many viewers, but I'm sure it repels plenty more - and you're one of those being repelled. I'm not sure whether I like it or not - I think the way contestants are sometimes treated after early Deals (even before the post-Deal rounds begin, in some cases) is much worse, as that implies a lack of respect for the player's decision. The interplay with the Banker is usually pantomime villanry, and most of the times it goes beyond that are in those post-Deal rounds...

Actual ratings have been up and down over the last 18 months, though they're on a high right now. I suspect that variability reflects a somewhat fickle audience - some people who enjoy big-time gambling and stop watching once caution sets in, then come back and repeat... some people who enjoy the show but hate the 'gimmicks' or Noel or the Banker...

There are lots of people who could watch the show and most of them watch some but not all shows. But much of the audience remain fickle because the show is fickle - not quite knowing whether to be a high-stakes gambling game with a clear disdain for caution, a lighthearted comedy show which just happens to make dreams come true for many of its participants, a pantomime with the 'evil Banker', or any combination of the above.

We watch the programme because each contestant, each show is different! Obviously there are contestants who have their “target” and go away with a nice amount, others who play the game to the full regardless to how the boxes tumble. There are others who don’t know when to stop, and others who go just one box to many. It is because that it is not consistent that makes it more interesting, but I feel the bankers comments are becoming more contemptuous towards the contestant. Any show has a sell by date, and I feel that DOND, is going that way, because of the contempt shown by the banker, and Noel’s goading the contestant with positive then negative responses

The natural variability in the game is clearly enough for you to be entertained, and the production decisions that try to add something else to that end up detracting from it. That's entirely reasonable.

You are taking it to serious the contestants don,t take any offence at what the banker sais they know it,s all part of the show if they took everything out of this show because people did,nt like it there would be no show.

At times I get annoyed by the banker being derogatory and wallowing in some contestants' misfortune. Mind you with the customer service jobs I've had, rude old men lose their novelty value pretty quickly

It seems a few people have had the same feelings about the Banker's remarks looking at the complaints Channel 4 have recieved about the show in general.

I agree that some of the things the Banker says can be a bit harsh, but I never take offence to what the Banker says. Mainly due to the fact the Banker is only playing up to his evil character and that it shouldn't be taken seriously. I doubt many (if any) contestants have taken offence to what he has said.

I've heard much worse remarks & comments on The Weakest Link from Anne Robinson.

What makes you think the banker is old?i suppose by listening to the way in which Noel portrays him,i spoke to him for a reasonable amount of time and i would say by the tone of his voice he is quite young.

Two words - Rich Oldman. And it's referenced to quite often, and that's even before we get to that NYE sequence with Jean and Orry!

Spill the beans, what did he sound like?!

Well the Banker must be over 60 at least, regarding a comment he made last week saying that he's used the ladies loos for the last 60 years

He was also born in the Chinese year of the Dragon which narrows it down to either 1928 (doubt it), 1940 (more than likely) and 1952 (too young if the last comment is to go by).

So he could of been born on the 12/05/1940 - Making him 68 in 12 days.

He has a very soft spoken very upper class voice but does,nt sound old at all in fact you could say his voice sounds very seductive, i think they portray him as being old to take people off the scent.I have been told that there are 3 bankers but not anyone that is well known just people that are employed by endamol.

The question on everybody's lips is to find out whether you've taken the plunge and moved into your partner's bed. Or is he still playing hard to get?

i kno in June the banker becomes incredibly harsh, I mean i do not know whether it will make the edit... but i recall one game where someone had lost their mum and the banker offered a gravestone... and his loss was quite recent. Stuff like that I do not agree with.

It's inhumane!

All comments made by The Banker should be treated as ludicrous, contestants should just weigh up the money on offer against the values in the remaining boxes.

Anything else said by The Banker is just an irrelevent mind game, usually designed to buy a box on the cheap, or make for good TV.

Was it a serious offer? I can imagine it being a form of a dream offer if the player said they couldn't afford a memorial to their dead relative or whatever.

If it was a "joke"... then offering a gravestone is actually rather sick! Although maybe the banker's fed up of sob stories and thought he'd take drastic action.