A sub-editor at the Bristol Evening Post felt a bit like the Weakest Link even before she got through the selection process for TV's most famous quiz. The Post's diary columnist "Latimer" takes up the story…

Helen Lawrence, (right), a big fan of the show, was phoned and invited for an audition in Bristol many months after sending in her application form.

She was taken through a general knowledge test by a researcher from the show, called Amy, and to her delight passed easily - despite forgetting who played Captain James T Kirk in Star Trek.

After making the appointment, the researcher asked one final question:

Are you a journalist?

"Yes", said Helen.

"Ah. That will be a problem then," said Amy.

"But it said so on my application form," said Helen.

"I didn't read that bit," said Amy.

The researcher did then check with the producer but found there was a blanket ban on anyone who worked in the media appearing on the show.

When asked why, Helen was told the programme had to be careful because it feared an expose.

But as Helen said: "The irony is if I'd have lied about what I did, I could have got to the audition. And if I WAS trying to do an expose, I wouldn't have admitted I was a journalist, would I?"

We think Anne must have heard about our no-nonsense reputation and feared being shown up.

If she wants to prove otherwise she could always ask Helen back…

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