It’s that viewing time of the year again when we can settle down on the sofa, large glass of favourite tipple to hand and cheer on a fellow staffing specialist in the BBC’s reality show The Apprentice. Well, sort of. Paula Jones, one of Siralan’s line up of sitting ducks — sorry, contestants — is an HR consultant with Walsall Council. But that’s close enough for us!

And by all accounts it seems she’ll be more than a match for her fellow contestants, rivalling such past Apprentice luminaries as Ruth Badger and Jo Cameron. According to the Birmingham Post, Paula (left) told the networking website Friends Reunited about one of her previous jobs: “Doing a masters degree in HRM now. Still haven’t got a proper job, or life, but happy and drunk half the time to say the least. Work for the university as a resident tutor.”

We will be watching her progress with interest — and cracking open something alcoholic in her honour, hopefully.