When I was 17, having been at work for about 18 months, I moved into my own little flat in Clapham, London. One of the things I hadn't prepared for, having just left home, was there'd be no TV. Being hard-up, I think this must have been the point at which I became a radio person.

From somewhere, I acquired an ugly old transistor radio with a broken aerial.

At night, I could receive all manner of strange foreign stations.

The only thing it would receive during the daytime, however, was the World Service.

As I was getting ready for work each morning, the radio was my friend. There wasn't much music on, but there were plays, serials and news broadcasts.

Deprived suddenly of the clatter of a family, the last thing needed by a 17-year-old living alone in London was the early-morning silence of a high-ceilinged shabby room.

I wasn't in the place for long ? within weeks I'd moved to a house-share ? but thereafter I never lived without a radio again.

This is the reason why I would question the BBC's recent decision to axe night-time presenters Janice Long and Alex Lester.

If you've never tried presenting a live radio show, it's harder than it may seem.

I did the job briefly, while filling in at a community station.

Two or three hours cueing up records, spinning in jingles and talking to listeners warmly and clearly requires concentration.

To me, the night-time presenters are among a radio station's more essential assets.

They are a salve on the wound called loneliness.

After all, who listens to the radio between midnight and six am more than night workers, delivery drivers, ill people, the sleepless and the lonely?

If you've ever been in any of these categories ? over the years I have qualified for four out of five ? then you will know the value of a late-night deejay to keep you company.

The BBC say they are making 'tough decisions' because of the need to save money.

Oh really?

Well, why don't they prune back a few of those bellowing voices on the daytime teams?

After all, if Janice Long can manage mostly by herself with only a technical operator, why can't some of our other pilots of the airwaves?

Mornings on BBC Radio, if you prefer a softer start to the day, can vary somewhat.

I've been examining the matter.

Radio 1, on the odd occasions when I've tuned in, can sound like two men arguing, as a third nails a live hamster to a car roof.

But if that's what the kids want...

Radio 5 is the sound of sport, news and sports news.

This is also fair enough. I've heard that men like listening to sport.

This leaves us with Radios 2, 3 and 4.

Some mornings, Radio 3 can be delightful.

Presenters Petroc Trelawny and Clemency Burton-Hill (I know, I know; wonderful, aren't they?) speak gently and clearly.

Ms Burton-Hill is probably the easier of the two while Petroc Trelawny can be rather more robust in his approach.

This sometimes drives me next door to Radio 4.

What the people on Radio 4 like best is worrying us all.

If peace ever breaks out in the Middle East, no problem; they've got another doomsday scenario shaping up in Korea.

Much of Radio 4's rolling wretchedness isn't even news; it's just speculation designed to drive the middle-aged to despair.

So, back to Radio 2 we go.

I saved the best for last.

For the delectation of those over-45s who'd prefer to avoid news misery, sport, 19th-century marches or men shouting over drum machines, Radio 2 has provided us with the nation's most annoying 50-year-old.

From 6.30am until 9.30am he yells at the top of his voice, honks horns, discusses absolute banalities and then blares out tooth enamel-dissolving show idents in rotation.

Quite frankly, I wish they'd give the show to Moira Stewart, a great DJ in her own right, currently being wasted as their newsreader.

If I were El Supremo at the BBC I wouldn't be letting the night-time presenters go.

I'd be looking at trimming down the daytime posses.

They're an embarrassment.

How old do they think we all are? Twelve? Getting old? You bet.

Along with most of the 'kidult' presenters.

The difference between us is that I'm not pretending otherwise. A

nd no, I don't want a digital radio. FM's fine, thank you.