Alan Partridge: how to watch new series This Time
BBC staff receive email from gaffe-prone broadcaster ahead of his return to the broadcaster
Alan Partridge returns to the BBC tonight in This Time With Alan Partridge, a parody of BBC’s flagship entertainment programme The One Show.
The first episode of the six-part series, which airs at 9.30pm tonight, sees the inept broadcaster parachuted in after one of the two original presenters falls ill.
Coogan will be joined by co-stars Susannah Fielding as presenter Jennie Gersham, while Tim Key returns as Simon “formerly Sidekick Simon” Denton.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It has been more than 23 years since the gaffe-prone presenter fronted his own TV show - Knowing Me, Knowing You, which aired on BBC 2 from 1994 to 1995.
The final instalment of the parody chat show “took a truly calamitous turn in the closing moments when Alan accidentally shot one of his guests, a restaurant critic played by Patrick Marber”, says the i newspaper.
This morning, more than 20,000 BBC staff received an email purportedly from Partridge, in which he attempted to “clear the air of any residual stench” ahead of his return.
As for what we can expect from the latest incarnation of Partridge, Coogan said his fictional alter ego has adapted to a more politically correct era - but in his own inimitable fashion.
“What we do is we have him trying to jump on the bandwagon and say, you know, he says ‘Hey! I’ve made mistakes, I’ve stood on the side of the sidewalk and slow hand-clapped while I watch a woman try to parallel park, you know, and I feel bad about that. And now if I saw a woman doing it now, I would shout instructions.’”
The show will delve into “modern-day issues and affairs, including the Me Too movement, and show the fictional broadcaster ‘on message’”, the London Evening Standard reports.
Speaking about an episode centred on the Me Too movement, Coogan continued: “That’s such a difficult topic for anyone to talk about, for anyone to say anything about, but if you’re doing a character it weirdly gives you this licence to. You can get things wrong in a big way and it’s fine because it’s him doing it.”
It has been 17 years since the character last appeared on the BBC in sitcom I’m Alan Partridge, and anticipation for the new series is understandably high. However, Coogan has assured fans that they will not be disappointed.
Speaking on stand-up comedian Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, the comedian said: “I think it passes muster with what we’ve done before.”
This Time with Alan Partridge airs Mondays at 9.30pm on BBC One.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Threads: how apocalyptic pseudo-documentary shocked a nation
In the Spotlight The rarely shown nuclear annihilation film will reappear on TV screens this week
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
'Ludwig': David Mitchell's new quaint and quirky British detective drama
The Week Recommends The BBC's new cosy crime drama is the 'role of a lifetime' for Mitchell
By The Week UK Published
-
Mishal Husain: BBC journalist shares her six favourite books
The Week Recommends Newsreader and Radio 4 presenter picks works by Louisa May Alcott, Jamil Ahmad and more
By The Week UK Published
-
The Jetty: Jenna Coleman is 'magnetic' in 'claustrophobic' crime thriller
The Week Recommends BBC's new four-part show keeps viewers 'hooked' until the end
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Michael Mosley 'collapsed' during holiday hike
Speed Read Tributes paid to 'national treasure' who did so much to popularise science
By Hollie Clemence, The Week UK Published
-
Aitch or haitch: the linguisitic debate that 'matters a lot'
Talking Point 'University Challenge' host Amol Rajan has promised to change the way he pronounces the letter 'H'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Secret Army: the IRA propaganda film forgotten for almost 50 years
Why Everyone's Talking About 'Chilling' BBC documentary reveals how US TV crew documented the inner workings of paramilitary group in 1970s
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Inseparable Sisters: uplifting BBC documentary about conjoined twins
The Week Recommends A 'refreshingly human and optimistic' portrayal that balances reality with positivity
By The Week UK Published