TS can almost hear the drum rolls. The orchestra is about to strike up, the curtains set to draw, to reveal: the PricewaterhouseCoopers panto is here!

A worrying thought did occur to us, though. Tax supremo John Whiting is appearing, thanks to pressure from TS Towers. What happens if, at 7pm on the evening of the show, Gordon Brown abolishes income tax and John is required to go on the Beeb to explain it?

‘It might save the Beeb some money on make up if I’m already made up,’ he said, before admitting that his panto get-up might be a bit more ‘ornate’ than that required for a one-to-one with Huw Edwards.

Ultimately, he thinks he would ditch the media for the stage. ‘The show must go on,’ he thesped.

An opportunity for all budding media accountants to steal Whiting's role explaining tax to the masses, TS thinks.