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think this kind of open-ended question really works.’
    JR was pacing up and down the studio, rubbing his stubble between thumb and forefinger.
    â€˜Yes, I agree,’ he said. ‘Take that as an incorrect answer and we’ll have to relook at any questions with multiple answers.’
    JR clicked his fingers at Jude, who started scribbling on a notepad. Chris groaned in frustration that I was losing our team so many points.
    â€˜I’m sorry, this isn’t really my topic,’ I whispered. ‘As soon as Hollyoaks comes up, I am all set.’ I gave Chris a weak smile.
    Unfortunately for me, Hollyoaks did not come up. It transpired that the whole quiz was incredibly high-brow and I was saddled with answering questions on: ‘The Policies of Margaret Thatcher’, ‘American Presidents’ and ‘The EU, 1993 – present’. Suffice to say, the game did not go well for Chris and me.
    The final scores stood at fifty-one points to Arnold and Rhidian’s team, five points to ours (all won by Chris for gaining control of the board). I was a nervous wreck by the time the game was over and Chris had lost a large quantity of skin in the scratch-inducing stress of defeat.
    â€˜Thanks to both our teams for their sterling efforts,’ said Magnus, finally putting an end to the torture. With proceedings concluded, the production team huddled around for a debrief with Magnus and JR, while we contestants were left standing awkwardly at our podiums.
    â€˜All right, Pam?’ said Rhidian, walking over to our podium and raising an eyebrow at me. ‘Well played there.’
    â€˜Hardly,’ I muttered. ‘I had no idea it was going to be so… so, well, niche.’
    â€˜Didn’t you do a history degree?’ asked Rhidian.
    â€˜Yes, but, well, but I didn’t study those bits.’
    The crew dispersed and Jude ushered Arnold and Chris out. Rhidian received a hearty handshake and back slap from Arnold, while Chris purposely ignored me.
    â€˜Well played, guys,’ said JR on his way out. ‘Thanks for helping out.’
    â€˜No problem,’ said Rhidian.
    â€˜Oh, and it’s Poppy, right, not Pam?’ JR smiled at me. ‘Great call on playing it dumb – it really helped expose a few structural issues with the game. Really funny too!’ He laughed. ‘Salman Rushdie. Ha ha. Brilliant.’
    I smiled weakly. ‘Um, any time.’
    â€˜So fifty-one to five,’ gloated Rhidian, once JR had left. ‘Do you think we should keep tabs on this kind of thing, you know, for the final job reckoning? It might be these little things that swing it.’ Rhidian brushed a hand through his blond hair and looked down at me, a small dimple pulsing in his left cheek. I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.
    â€˜I hardly think knowing a few stupid answers in a ridiculous quiz qualifies you as a better runner,’ I said, a little too tartly.
    â€˜Maybe not.’ Rhidian looked thoughtful. ‘Still, I think I might make a chart… Something to put up in the post room to keep track of our respective victories.’
    He winked at me. Infuriating man.
    â€˜Well, if you need a chart to reassure yourself you’re doing a good job, you knock yourself out, buddy,’ I said, marching back upstairs in a manner that I hope conveyed an ‘I’ve got far more important things to do than verbally spar with you’ attitude.

STEP 10 – REMIND YOURSELF WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS
    I LAY AWAKE that night, in Natalie’s parents’ basement, fretting. All summer I’d been so focused on trying to get a foot in the TV industry door, I hadn’t really thought beyond that first step. To continue the analogy, once I’d got my foot in, how was I going to wedge the rest of my body through, announce I’d arrived and make sure nobody said, ‘Oi, what are you doing in here? You aren’t supposed to be in