Wernham Hogg Paper Company

Ten years ago the Wernham Hogg Paper Company hit the headlines as the (now worldwide phenomenon) Gervais and Merchant mocumentary sit-com was first broadcast by the BBC where we became a fly on the wall in The Office following David Brent and his staff in their day-to-day business of paper.

I have to admit that I only managed to watch a few minutes of the first episode and couldn't watch any more a few years to come - not because it wasn't any good, but because I had previously worked for someone who not only looked like Brent but was exactly like Brent in so many ways and a whole lot worse so it brought back bad memories!

The person I worked with previously was so much of a bad manager that most of the staff knew him as Captain Nob-Shite as he was a Nob that talked shite and although he was only a deputy, deputy manager he thought he knew what he was doing and was under the misapprehension that he was in charge (hence the Captain title). He was the sort of salesperson who knew nothing about anything but didn't stop him from selling anything as he'd just make stuff up - the amount of refunds from people who when they got home realised he was talking shite was unbelievable.

Finally I got in to the right frame of mind as was able to watch The Office and couldn't help but laugh at the cringeworthy moments and fully emphasise with the staff that worked there!

I've not seen the US version as it will probably end up being 21 episodes per season and 51 seasons long - they seem to drag everything out far too long. Just like the classic sit-com Fawlty Towers, The Office is 2 series long which left us wanting more - better to finish at the top than half-way down the other side.