with Anne Nightingale
(See panel, left)

Envelopes passed on by strangers at night... brown-paper parcels containing bricks... dangerous underwear on the last train to Brighton. Just some of the strange ways that Annie Nightingale's listeners communicate with her when she's not presenting her request show on Radio 1.
In seven years of the programme Annie has read every single letter sent to her. 'There's a guy who calls himself the Merx,' she says. 'He kept writing in for Wallflower by Peter Gabriel - a very long and miserable track that I refused to play. Eventually a brown-paper parcel arrived and inside was a brick with Wallflower written on it. It had cost him £2.50 in stamps, so at that point I thought, "Oh all right" and played the blasted record.'
Still not satisfied, he turned up in Victoria Station on Annie's way home one night. 'He handed me an envelope and I recognised the writing. I said, "Hello, Merx, where are you going?" He replied, "I'm coming to Brighton with you."'
There are more where he came from. Step forward, Night Owl of Croydon, who wanted Annie as his consort for a Hallowe'en visit to Stonehenge. Did she go? 'Oh no, I was much too busy for that.'
There are also requests from more retiring listeners. 'They know I open letters on the train home. One listener wrote in on a pair of absurd red knickers...'
Do you have to be a master of the tacky gimmick to get a request played? Annie reassures us: 'Loads of people who write the simple "Dear Annie... lots of love" letter will hear their records.'
Meanwhile, all you feet-on-the-ground types can do some thinking on the subject of The Record of the 80s. In a special New Year's Eve show, each record will sum up the decade of New Romantics, wine bars, house music and vodaphones. Suggestions so far: New Order's Blue Monday, and for Mrs Thatch on Hong Kong, She Sells Sanctuary by the Cult. Very clever, very satirical. Keep it in mind.

The Request Show, Sunday 7.00pm