Personnel Today on Joanna Clore and Sue White

There is an article published recently in Personnel Today, a trade newspaper for the Human Resources industry. In it, it talks about the role of HR staff in medicial television programmes, and goes on to talk about Joanna and Sue in Green Wing.

Although Green Wing has no less than two prominent HR characters - HR director Joanna and staff liaison officer Sue White - scenes of them fulfilling a professional role are strangely absent.

More prone to hitting the bottle and bleaching her moustache than filling out staff appraisal forms, Joanna neither sacks nor interviews.

The Channel 4 publicity describes Sue, meanwhile, as having a suit "from a fatal road traffic accident".

Yet to the show's creator and producer, Victoria Pile, having a wealth of HR representatives on telly "is a tribute to the growing prominence of the profession".

She says: "Many people are uncomfortable with the thought of being spied on and observed by people managers, but in Joanna and Sue, we're exploring the comedic foibles of women of a certain age, not having a dig at HR."

"Lawyers, policemen and medics have been done to death in British TV and as writers, we are always looking for new jobs to explore."

Quote: Ian Wolf @ March 29 2008, 11:01 AM BST

There is an article published recently in Personnel Today, a trade newspaper for the Human Resources industry. In it, it talks about the role of HR staff in medicial television programmes, and goes on to talk about Joanna and Sue in Green Wing.

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". . . alcoholic and nymphomanic Joanna Yardley Clore . . " I particuarly like this description of Joanna, although i might suggest that Sue White is equally nymphimanic!!

Two animals bump into each other. One says, "Sorry about that mate. I've been blind since birth and can't see where I'm going."

"What a conicidence," says the other one, "I've been blind since birth too. Actually, perhaps you could help me out. I've always been a bit too embarassed to ask the others what type of animal I am. Perhaps you could see what I feel like and tell me?"

"OK. You could do the same for me as I don't know what type of animal I am either."

The first animal starts touching the second one. "Well you're covered in fur, you've got long ears and a little fluffy tail. You must be a rabbit."

"Great!" says the rabbit, "now I'll work out what you are."

The rabbit starts touching the other animal. "Well you're about six foot long, you've got slimy skin, beady eyes and a forked tongue. You must be an HR manager."