IT'S been a strange couple of months for Hugh Hine.

The Worcester father’s life was turned upside down in October when he strolled into the office one morning to find the firm where he worked as a regional manager had been bought out – and he was out of a job.

But what happened next was even more unexpected.

A dozen or so appearances on national television, a chance to grill the Prime Minister and bring about a change in Government policy, and even to meet his favourite band have all followed.

“It’s been somewhat surreal,” Mr Hine said, from his home in Stoneleigh Close, St Peter’s, where he lives with his wife Liz and adult son Scott. “But I’d give it all up straight away to get back to work.”

Breakfast television fans will recognise Mr Hine, aged 50, from his regular appearances on GMTV over the past three months, as part of its coverage of the growing recession.

Having first brought him on the show to hear about the circumstances of his redundancy from vehicle parts suppliers LS UK, GMTV’s producers decided to keep returning to Mr Hine during his time out of work to see what life is like for job seekers right now. “It’s just snowballed,” Mr Hine said.

“I should think I’ve been on about 12 times in total.

“I met the Prime Minister on there last month, and he promised to do what he could to help.”

Mr Hine also met Welsh rockers the Stereophonics, who happened to be performing live on the show while he was there.

Meanwhile, one of Mr Hine’s complaints – that Government advice was not being offered quickly enough to people out of work – has even brought about a change in Labour’s unemployment policy.

This week Mr Hine was given the opportunity to ask a pre-recorded question to Gordon Brown about unemployment issues.

“The answer he gave was a load of old twaddle,” Mr Hine said, bluntly.

“But when I met him he was very personable to talk to.”

So has having the Prime Minister on side actually helped Mr Hine back to work?

“Not so far.” he said.

“I’m working really hard to find a job. I’ve kept in the same routine as when I was working, getting up at a quarter-to-six. I spend most of the day on job websites.

“But I’ve put all my experiences with GMTV on my CV now and that helps – it certainly makes mine stand out from the others.”