Details of Alan Partridge’s return to the big time - a chat show back on his beloved/hated BBC - were recently announced and, as we remarked at the time, they sounded 10 out of 10.
However, we regret to inform you that we have some bad news regarding Alan. While we all know he is definitely a bit of a Brexiter and is generally a bit scared of anyone that’s different to him, we didn’t realise he would go this far.
Speaking a Press Association event to kick off publicity for This Time With Alan Partridge, the new chat show heading to the BBC later this year, Steve Coogan, who plays the legendary disc jockey/light entertainment maestro/sometime travel tavern resident said:
“I think if he had a pint with Nigel Farage they’d get on like a house on fire.”
They probably would, wouldn’t they? For all we know, he probably owns a Lexus too.
However, Coogan didn’t think he’d quite go as far as to vote UKIP, saying: “I think he would have struggled long and hard and I think he would probably have opted (to vote) for the Conservatives.”
He also said that Partridge would definitely have softened over the 25 years that he’s been playing him.
“The world’s changed and he’s changed too because people do try and evolve and lots of people who perhaps were less tolerant grow to be more tolerant.”
And as for Alan voting Labour? OH FORGET IT.
“Alan feels like on balance they’re [Tories] the best choice, he doesn’t hate the Labour party. He’s suspicious of people who are left wing.”
This Time With Alan Partridge will see Alan getting a big break when he takes over as co-presenter on the current affairs programme after the usual host falls ill.
“I suppose there are two narratives here, one is the fictional one which is Alan Partridge back on the BBC and the real one is Steve Coogan doing Alan Partridge back on the BBC after 25 years,” Coogan said.
He also described the fictional show as being a combination of breakfast TV, Newsnight and The One Show - so basically exactly what we were expecting, and an environment which should bring out the very best/worst in Alan.
Read more: 19 classic Alan Partridge moments that prove he’s a national treasure
Felicity Montagu starring in Alpha Papa
It’s also been confirmed that Felicity Montagu will be coming back as his long-suffering assistant Lynn, alongside the already-announced line-up including his co-presenter Jennie Gresham (played by Susannah Fielding, who most recently starred in The Great Indoors and Black Mirror episode ‘Nosedive’) and Simon ‘formerly Sidekick Simon’ Denton, played by Tim Key.
Coogan said: “Lynn will make the odd clandestine appearance as she rushes on to the set between takes, so there’ll be little glimpses of Lynn.”
He also talked about his constant scouting for Partridgeisms in his everyday life.
“What I do is I just make notes in my phone all the time, so I might see something or just his voice pops into my head and I just immediately write it down. So I’ve got a bank of stuff in my phone which is just Alan.
“If you’re in a situation where someone does something slightly inappropriate, or makes a faux pas, or there’s a moment of discomfort or tension in a social situation that is a bit painful to be part of, I sort of weirdly get excited because I think ‘oh that was great, I must write that down’. Small, inconvenient irritations are all like petrol in the tank of Alan.”
(Images: Rex)
