HAIL THE SOUTHEND SAMURAI

The repercussions of Michael Woodford's going public about what he discovered when he became boss of the Japanese giant Olympus -- one and a half billion dollars of dirty dealings -- have almost brought the company down. As things stands, Olympus may well have to be rescued by a white knight. Woodford admits that the effects on his family have been enormous -- he has been forced to remortgage his home to pay his legal fees on three continents, and his future remains uncertain. But he's a courageous, resourceful man. Now he needs a job.