Plans by Ricky Gervaise to turn his experiences of Reading into another hit have been dashed by the Prudential after they refused him permission to use their name. Gervais, the former Ashmead School pupil who has not set foot in the town since scraping together enough money for a train ticket out of the place, announced plans last year to make a feature film and sitcom called "The Men From The Pru".

Ricky told us about the news: "It's a shame. I think making a film about staff at the Pru has plenty of comedy potential. Loses because of investing in mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and trying to build houses on a floodplain are just too funny for words and just two of the ideas that Stephen and I were exploring.

"It also goes without saying that after Slumdog Millionaire's success, everyone now wants to make films based in India: it's become today's new Holocaust movie as far as the Oscars go. The life of two men in the Pru's call centre would be painfully hilarious as they pretend to be John from Manchester."