Titanic Brewery has produced a special beer to celebrate a Staffordshire pub landlady’s appearance on a top TV quiz show.

Karen Malkin of the Marquis of Granby, Ipstones, is to appear on BBC One’s The Weakest Link on Monday, 24 May.

The pub regularly features guest ales brewed by Titanic from nearby Stoke-on-Trent.

And the brewery has arranged for a special supply of one off brew Karen’s Ale to be served at the Church Lane pub on the day of the screening.

“Arrangements were made with my husband, Justin, but they have had to let me in on it before the big day,” said Karen.

“We are planning to show the programme on the pub’s large screen and will put on a buffet for our regular customers.”

Brewery bosses have arranged for a special pump clip featuring Karen to be displayed on the bar.”

Director Dave Bott said: “The Marquis is a great community pub and is at the heart of village life, and we were delighted to be able to join in the fun for Karen’s big day.

“Karen’s Ale is a full bodied deep red-brown beer with a hoppy bitterness balanced by roast malt flavours to produce a rounded finish. At a strength of 5.3 per cent Karen’s Ale is a strongest link among beers.”

“I am keen on quizzes although I often take on the Ann Robinson role when we hold them at the Marquis,” added Karen.

“We have organised several charity quiz nights for the people of Ipstones raising funds for charity groups.

Karen is not allowed to reveal how she did on the night, only commenting that she was “pleased and a little surprised” by her performance.

And, she added: “I am in a bit of an odd position as the BBC were meant to screen the show on the day that Gordon Brown resigned.

“They ran a special news broadcast instead of The Weakest Link. But the programme still appeared on the BBC iplayer for a few hours and I know some people in Ipstones have seen it.”

A clue to the outcome may perhaps be revealed on the special pump clip which features the strapline “The strongest link.”