No, Alan Partridge isn’t a rip off of Richard Madeley (Picture: WireImage/Shutterstock/BBC)
Alan Partridge was born as a spoof of British broadcasting personalities when he made his debut as a hapless sports presenter on BBC Radio 4’s comedy show On the Hour in 1991, later enjoying a spin as a chat show host in Knowing Me Knowing You, before being consigned to regional radio in Norwich in I’m Alan Partridge.
After falling down the slippery pole of showbiz, Steve Coogan’s character has spawned memes, countless catchphrases, produced books, stage shows, a film, a podcast, books – you name it, he’s done it. And he’s not just one of Britain’s greatest comedy characters of all time: he’s a bonafide national treasure.
Even three decades down the line, your dad, your uncle and celebrities left, right and centre are accused (lovingly) of being Alan Partridge (see recently: Brandon Flowers of The Killers at Glastonbury). Naturally, fingers are pointed at some stars more than others when it comes to being Partridge’s genesis.
But you would be wrong to single out a single broadcaster, according to Steve, 57, who tells Metro.co.uk that ‘almost every major television presenter these days say something a bit Alan Partridge.’ And, no, despite previously saying Partridge is ‘close’ to an ‘infusion’ of Richard Madeley and Piers Morgan, he is not based on the current Good Morning Britain presenter.
Steve, however, does concede that there’s a touch of Partridge to Richard. ‘Does he say some things that are a bit like Alan Partridge? Yes. Do certain sports presenters say things a bit like Alan Partridge? Of course.
Alan Partridge first burst into British culture in 1991 (Picture: Baby Cow)
He’s become one of the most iconic British characters of all time (Picture: BBC)
‘Almost every major television presenter these days say something a bit Alan Partridge. There’s even that website, Accidental Partridge. So loads of people are guilty of sounding like Alan Partridge. It’’s a reciprocal thing; it’s symbiotic. People out there sound like Alan and Alan sounds like them.
‘I’m not quite sure which came first the chicken or the egg. But, no, it’s not based on Richard Madeley. That’s not true at all. He’s an amalgam of people. Certainly, he says stuff sometimes where I think, “You can’t really satirize that.” But a lot of people do. A lot of those LBC presenters do, apart from James O’Brien. He gets a free pass, he doesn’t sound like all the other ones do.’ Aha.
In fact, Partridge is closer to Steve than you might have thought – or at least thought he’d admit to. ‘Alan is kind of an extension of me. If you had a Venn diagram, the Alan Partridge circle will overlap the Steve Coogan circle,’ he explains.
Brandon Flowers was recently compared to Alan Partridge (Picture: Wireimage)
Piers, however, is frequently likened to Partridge(Picture: REUTERS)
‘I do Alan Partridge things all the time.’
It hasn’t remotely harmed Steve’s career, whose eclectic credits include Michael Winterbottom’s 24 Hour Party People through to Tropic Thunder. Philomena, which he starred in and produced, was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars.
He hasn’t just been absorbed into the Hollywood machine, though, and has continued a strong TV presence, from the likes of #MeToo comedy Chivalry and the upcoming and controversial drama The Reckoning, in which he is playing Jimmy Savile.
Steve admits he does something Alan Partridge every day (Picture: Getty Images for Flat Out Films)
But that doesn’t mean he’s immune from being a bit Partridge. It’s got to the point now, Steve confesses, where the character’s other writers Rob and Neil Gibbons just jot down the stuff he spurts out and use it as Partridge material. But he’s only slightly miffed he’s become an inspiration. ‘Maybe 30 years ago I’d have been annoyed about that, but now I just accept [it]. I mean I try to be positive about the dysfunctional side of my personality. I use it to pay my mortgage. That’s quite good.’
Quite good? Steve’s mortgage payments aside, Partridge has won two Baftas, is revered by international comedy superstars including Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell – and is still going strong. Now, like every celeb worth their salt, Partridge has taken to podcasting. And Steve prefers it, describing the medium as enabling ‘sinewy microscopic detail’.It also attracts, apparently, the most die-hard of the Partridge fans: the ‘purists’.
Steve’s next big role is Jimmy Savile in The Reckoning(Picture: BBC/ITV Studios/Matt Squire)
Suffice to say, From the Oasthouse has been a storming success and is now in its third season. Covering Partridge’s typically shambolic life, including his new romance, his bid to become the car laureate of Norwich and becoming a grandparent, among other milestones.
Partridge’s enduring success, Steve says, is because he’s like a ‘Trojan horse.’ ‘He can talk in a funny way – in a funny, safe way – about modern culture wars, sexual politics, gender identity in a way that is intelligent.
’The only general rule about the humour is we punch up, we don’t punch down. We don’t make fun of vulnerable people. We only make fun of powerful people and call them to account.’
Eamonn is regularly targeted by Alan Patridge (Picture: Dave Benett/WireImage)
Along with the likes of Noel Edmonds(Picture: Shutterstock)
Among Partridge’s targets are, of course, his rival British broadcasters. ‘We have a go at Noel Edmonds quite regularly,’ Steve admits, listing them off. ‘Eamonn Holmes. I have nothing against Eamonn Holmes, he’s just quite funny. Kirstie Allsopp, we like to have a go at her. I don’t know why.’
Steve even shared Partridge’s verdict on Holly Willoughby’s widely mocked return to This Morning. The presenter, dressed in all white, began her speech with ‘Are you OK?’ as she addressed her former colleague and friend Phillip Schofield’s exit from ITV for the first time. Unfavourable comparisons included Jennifer Aniston’s character on The Morning Show.
For Partridge, however, her comeback monologue was a solid eight and a half out of ten. ‘The content was bang on target, but some of the syntax could have been better.’ Well, Partridge, there is a spot going on This Morning…
Partridge rates Holly Willoughby’s This Morning speech as a solid 8.5 out of 10 (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
To the relief of everyone everywhere, though, Steve says Partridge is not going anywhere. ‘I’m afraid you’re stuck with Alan until one of us dies, either I’ll die first or Alan will.’
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‘I’m not sure which,’ he adds.
From the Oasthouse is available to listen exclusively on Audible.
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There’s a bit of Alan Partridge in all of us.
