I'm Alan Partridge
Encyclopedia
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC
situation comedy
starring Steve Coogan
, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002. The series followed the titular Alan Partridge
, a failed television presenter
whose previous exploits had featured in the chat-show
parody
Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge
, and who is now presenting a programme on local radio in Norwich
.
Both series were written by Peter Baynham
, Coogan and Armando Iannucci
; supporting Coogan were Felicity Montagu
as his faithful, mouse-like personal assistant
, Lynn Benfield; Simon Greenall
as Geordie
Travel Tavern handyman/BP
garage attendant Michael; and Phil Cornwell
as disc jockey
(DJ) Dave Clifton.
equidistant between London and Norwich. At this stage of his life, Alan's career consists of broadcasting his own radio programme, Up with the Partridge, on the fictional Radio Norwich during dead time (4:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.), and occasionally making corporate appearances for various low-profile local businesses. Alan's personal life is shown to be crushingly empty; he has separated from his wife, and his only interaction with other people consists of chatting mindlessly to his personal assistant Lynn, the staff of the Linton Travel Tavern, and receiving infrequent phone calls from Bill Oddie
.
Throughout the series, Alan displays his usual sexism
, racism
, homophobia
, and general bigotry
to everyone he comes into contact with, and via his radio show broadcasts.
Two unusual plot devices used during the series surround Alan's somewhat neurotic personal life.
One device consists of glimpses into his mind, depicting a fantasy night-club, which Alan seems to think of often and at the most inappropriate moments. In his club fantasies, Alan is a table dancer, dancing for whichever television authority he aims to please (usually Hayers, but also two Irish television executives he meets on one occasion). Even in these fantasies, Alan retains his unbearably boring and socially inept persona; he dances in a rubber thong
but this is offset by wearing his jumper, shirt and tie in addition to his "erotic" apparel, and in his fantasies, Alan launches into his trademark dull and inane conversations.
The second plot device used throughout the series revolves around a drawer in Alan's hotel room. The viewers never see what is in the drawer, but the contents are occasionally glimpsed by other characters; Lynn becomes speechless when seeing the contents, Sophie bursts into a fit of giggling, and Alan himself goes to extreme lengths to keep the drawer closed when people are in the room.
Series one was first released on DVD
in the United States on 24 October 2006.
The series ended with a party in Alan's room as Alan and Lynn tidied up to the theme from The Adventures of Black Beauty
, after all the guests have prematurely left. The series ends on a surprisingly upbeat note, with Alan pretty pleased with himself.
which culminated in him putting on a lot of weight and driving a Vauxhall Vectra to Dundee
in his bare feet whilst gorging on Toblerone
s.
He also threw his tax receipts off of a ferry during what he called "a low point". By the start of this series, he believes himself to have "bounced back", titling his poorly selling autobiography Bouncing Back.
As well as his book, he has Radio Norwich's third-best slot (his rival from Series 1, Dave Clifton, again follows his show, but this is now a 'graveyard' midnight slot), a military-based game show called Skirmish on fictional cable television channel "UK Conquest" and has released a video of car accidents entitled Crash, Bang, Wallop, What a Video!
Alan now finds himself living in a static caravan outside his partially built dream home. He is flanked by his friend Michael, who has left his job at the Travel Tavern to become a cashier at a local BP garage (this recalls Alan's odd question in the first episode of the first series to the estate agent, when he asked if there were any petrol stations near the house with minimarts - "scaled down supermarket, fits inside a petrol station").
Alan now has two women in his life, not only is he still tended to by his long-suffering and underpaid personal assistant Lynn but he has a younger Ukrainian girlfriend, Sonja (Bullmore).
Linton and Longstanton
are in Cambridgeshire
, though neither has a Travel Tavern
nor a spice museum.
Exterior shots of the Linton Travel Tavern were actually filmed at the Hilton Hotel on Elton Way in Watford
, Hertfordshire
. Spalding
is in Lincolnshire
; Swaffham
is a market town in Norfolk
, Spixworth
and Hemsby
are real Norfolk villages which feature in the show as the home location of phone-in guests. Sprowston
, a real village just outside of Norwich, is mentioned in the episode Never Say Alan Again in a conversation with John, Alan's builder.
The (Great) Ouse
and the Waveney
are major rivers, as referenced in Radio Norwich's ident. Linton really is equidistant between London and Norwich (about 95 km (59 mi) in each direction). Due to the coverage, a number of Norfolk residents are not happy with the association.
Tiptree
is mentioned in Radio Norwich's ident even though it lies in the heart of Essex
. On a similar vein, Felixstowe is also mentioned even though it is in East Suffolk.
Coogan resurrected the character in his stand up shows in 2008, alongside some of his other old characters, such as Paul Calf.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
starring Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002. The series followed the titular Alan Partridge
Alan Partridge
Alan Gordon Partridge is a fictional radio and television presenter portrayed by English comedian Steve Coogan and invented by Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Stewart Lee and Richard Herring for the BBC Radio 4 programme On The Hour...
, a failed television presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
whose previous exploits had featured in the chat-show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge
Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge (TV series)
Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge is a BBC Television series of six episodes , and a Christmas special in 1995...
, and who is now presenting a programme on local radio in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
.
Both series were written by Peter Baynham
Peter Baynham
Peter Baynham is a screenwriter and a British comedian, writer, and performer. He often collaborates with Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris and has worked with Stewart Lee and Richard Herring. He is first heard on Morris' early radio DJ slots, often going out to places...
, Coogan and Armando Iannucci
Armando Iannucci
Armando Giovanni Iannucci is a Scottish comedian, satirist, writer, director, performer and radio producer. Born in Glasgow, he studied at Oxford University and left graduate work on a PhD about John Milton to pursue a career in comedy....
; supporting Coogan were Felicity Montagu
Felicity Montagu
Felicity Montagu is an English actress, known for her performances in radio and television comedy series and films.Educated at Loughborough University and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, Felicity Montagu has played the foil to a series of prominent comedy characters.-Television:Montagu...
as his faithful, mouse-like personal assistant
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
, Lynn Benfield; Simon Greenall
Simon Greenall
Simon Greenall is a British actor, writer and voice artist from Longtown in Cumbria. He has appeared in a wide variety of roles in television, film, radio and the theatre, and is probably best known for his role as Michael in the TV series I'm Alan Partridge and as the voice of headmaster Iqbal in...
as Geordie
Geordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
Travel Tavern handyman/BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
garage attendant Michael; and Phil Cornwell
Phil Cornwell
Phil Cornwell is an English comedian, actor, impressionist and writer. He is probably best known as being part of the Dead Ringers television and radio series...
as disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
(DJ) Dave Clifton.
Both series
- Alan PartridgeAlan PartridgeAlan Gordon Partridge is a fictional radio and television presenter portrayed by English comedian Steve Coogan and invented by Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Stewart Lee and Richard Herring for the BBC Radio 4 programme On The Hour...
(Coogan)
- The main character of the series, Alan, a former host on Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge on BBC televisionBBC TelevisionBBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
, was dismissed from the BBC partly for punching Chief Commissioning Editor Tony Hayers in the face with a stuffed partridge and partly because his programmes were of a low standard, delivering ever-declining ratings. In series one, he is divorced from his wife Carol, lives in the LintonLinton, CambridgeshireLinton is a village in rural Cambridgeshire, England, on the border with Essex. It has been expanded much since the 1960s and is now one of many dormitory villages around Cambridge. The railway station was on the Stour Valley Railway between Cambridge and Colchester, now closed. The Rivey Hill...
Travel Tavern and is reduced to working the graveyard shift on NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
radio and desperately trying to get back on television in any capacity.
- By series two — following an off-screen mental breakdownMental breakdownMental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
— he has pulled himself up slightly, in that he lives in a static caravanMobile homeMobile homes or static caravans are prefabricated homes built in factories, rather than on site, and then taken to the place where they will be occupied...
next to the dream house he is building, has a radio show in the evening, a militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
-based quiz showQuiz ShowQuiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s...
on digital televisionDigital televisionDigital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
and has published his autobiographyAutobiographyAn autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
. Alan is a generally loathsome, narcissistic human being with very poor social skills and a largely empty personal life.
- Lynn Benfield (Montagu)
- Alan's hard-working, long-suffering, personal assistant, Lynn appears to run Alan's life to such an extent that he cannot survive without her organisational skills; despite this, he usually treats her with little more than contempt. Besides dealing with Alan's working-life, Lynn's other duties range from the banal to the truly ridiculous — accompanying Alan to visit a show home, buying medicinal powder for Alan's fungalFungusA fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
foot infections, cooling Alan with a hand-fan, and frequently listening patiently to Alan's pointless conversations and endless whining.
- Lynn is a member of a local BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church, which Alan finds strange but is willing to tolerate. Her mother, whom Lynn possibly lives with, is apparently housebound, but Lynn seems able to balance her life between looking after her mother's affairs and those of Alan. When accompanying Alan, Lynn is very shy and nervous in public, but seems capable of easily blending into social situations when Alan is not present. Despite her intense and frequently ludicrous workload, Lynn receives a paltry £Pound sterlingThe pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
8,000 per year, due to Alan's greedy penny-pinching.
- By the second series, her mother has died, and Lynn finds romance with a fellow churchmember, a retired policeman. At the celebration following her church baptism, she is shown to have many friends and is held in high regard by fellow churchmembers.
- Michael (Greenall)
- An all-purpose worker at the Linton Travel Tavern, Michael speaks with a heavy Geordie accent, which Alan barely understands (or claims not to) and, being Alan, never fails to demand clarification. Michael is arguably Alan's only friend, and Alan is glad of his presence when he needs to have a heart-to-heart or, more often, inane chat; their friendship is clearly not on an even basis, however, as Michael only ever refers to Alan as 'Mr. Partridge' and Alan clearly regards Michael with a great deal of disdain. Michael is almost as desperate and neurotic a character as Alan, and is very emotionally disturbed (shown most clearly when Alan looks out of his room window to see Michael tearing at his hair in a state of some distress).
- Michael frequently tells stories of his time in the British armyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, to the delight of Alan, especially if they are of a salacious, or violent nature. During a period of military placement in the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Michael married a Filipino woman, and the two moved back to Michael's native Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. However, his wife left him and now lives with his brother in Sunderland, possibly shedding light on the origins of Michael's neuroticismNeuroticismNeuroticism is a fundamental personality trait in the study of psychology. It is an enduring tendency to experience negative emotional states. Individuals who score high on neuroticism are more likely than the average to experience such feelings as anxiety, anger, guilt, and depressed mood...
. In the last episode of the first series, Michael appears at Alan's party already drunk on Scrumpy JackScrumpy JackScrumpy Jack is a brand of dry cider, 6% alc. vol., produced in Hereford by Bulmers, a subsidiary of Heineken. Scrumpy Jack is also produced under licence in Devon by Czk1....
and proceeds to insult the other guests.
- He is also a recurring character in the second series of I'm Alan Partridge, where he has left the Linton Travel Tavern and now works in a BP petrol station.
- Dave Clifton (Cornwell)
- Dave is a fellow Radio Norwich DJ who runs the programme right after Alan's "graveyard slot" show. During the handover every morning, Alan always tried to engage in witty banter with Dave, but their chatting fails to disguise the bitter rivalry between them. Dave is an alcoholicAlcoholismAlcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and has a driving ban, according to Alan. Much to Alan's surprise and chagrin, Dave is a friend of Spandau BalletSpandau BalletSpandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by, and an integral part of, the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles...
's Tony HadleyTony HadleyTony Hadley is an English pop singer-songwriter, occasional stage actor and radio presenter who gained celebrity as the lead vocalist for the 1980s band Spandau Ballet.-Early life:...
.
- Dave also appears in the second series, where he now works the graveyard shift (after Alan's shift) and appears to have resumed drinking - nevertheless, he still usually manages to get the upper hand in his rivalry with Alan.
Series one only
- Susan Foley (Barbara DurkinBarbara DurkinBarbara Durkin is an English actress and trained at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre along with Steve Coogan.Though she made her debut in the 1987 British movie Wish You Were Here, she is better known for her television appearances. Her major credits include appearances in Mr. Bean,...
)
- The manager of the Linton Travel Tavern, Susan appears to be a stereotypical front-desk worker, with a dazzling smile and sickly sweet manner. However, even these forced skills are not enough to deal with Alan's clumsy, half-hearted flirting and mindless anecdotes. Alan frequently makes tactless comments to Susan about her appearance (once suggesting to her that she "could have been throwing up all night" but that her smile would not falter). In reaction to these comments, Susan's painted-on smile is sometimes momentarily replaced by a look of shock and bemusement.
- Susan displays a general dislike of Alan, becoming increasingly bored of his feeble attempts at conversation as the series progresses, and at one stage being terrified by Alan's poorly-planned practical jokePractical jokeA practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
in which he dresses as a zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
and creeps up on her at receptionReceptionistA receptionist is an employee taking an office/administrative support position. The work is usually performed in a waiting area such as a lobby or front office desk of an organization or business...
. Nevertheless, she never says a harsh word to Alan - at least, until the end of the last episode, in which she finally tells Alan what she thinks of him at his leaving party.
- Sophie (Sally PhillipsSally Phillips-Career:Sally Phillips was the only woman in the 1990 Oxford Revue THRASH which also starred Ed Smith. She did nine consecutive Edinburgh Festivals, appearing in shows such as Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Arthur Smith's version of Hamlet and Cluub Zarathustra with Simon Munnery, Stewart Lee, Richard Thomas,...
)
- A recently employed receptionist at the Travel Tavern, Sophie is also rarely without a smile; however, in her case it is normally because she is suppressing a laugh over Alan's antics. While Susan brushes off Alan's social faux pasFaux pasA faux pas is a violation of accepted social norms . Faux pas vary widely from culture to culture, and what is considered good manners in one culture can be considered a faux pas in another...
with a smile, Sophie is rarely able to control her laughter at Alan's appalling lack of social skills, and often has to leave reception to prevent laughing in his face. Much to Alan's annoyance, he is sometimes aware that Sophie often jokes about him behind his back.
- Ben (James LanceJames LanceJames Lance is a British actor who is best known for his appearances in a number of British comedy series. James Lance attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School...
)
- Ben is another member of staff at the Travel Tavern and Sophie's boyfriend. Alan is jealous of Ben's romance with Sophie, and does his best to sabotage their romantic trysts. In later episodes, Alan attempts to forge a friendship with Ben, despite Alan's earlier irritation at Ben's informal and somewhat laid-back manner. Predictably, Alan's attempts to befriend Ben are clumsy and unsuccessful.
Series two only
- Sonja (Amelia BullmoreAmelia BullmoreAmelia Bullmore is an English actress and writer. She was born in London and studied drama at the University of Manchester. Bullmore started working as an actor but turned to writing in 1995...
)
- Alan's thick-accented UkrainianUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
girlfriend. Sonja (Cyrillic: Соня), who is fourteen years Alan's junior, possesses a very excitable, scatterbrained personality which leads Alan to describe her as 'mildly cretinous'. Easily amused, she delights greatly in pulling lame practical jokes and showering Alan with cheap (and unwanted) gifts such as London souvenirSouvenirA souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
s and personalized coffee mugs and cushions emblazoned with their faces. She is very devoted to Alan and clearly treasures him, despite that he demonstrates little genuine affection for her in return and clearly bases their relationship around the ego-boost produced by their age difference and the sex.
Series one
In series one, the former chat-show host Alan has been divorced by his wife, Carol; has distanced himself from his children and ended up living in the Linton Travel Tavern, a cheap motelMotel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
equidistant between London and Norwich. At this stage of his life, Alan's career consists of broadcasting his own radio programme, Up with the Partridge, on the fictional Radio Norwich during dead time (4:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.), and occasionally making corporate appearances for various low-profile local businesses. Alan's personal life is shown to be crushingly empty; he has separated from his wife, and his only interaction with other people consists of chatting mindlessly to his personal assistant Lynn, the staff of the Linton Travel Tavern, and receiving infrequent phone calls from Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie
William "Bill" Edgar Oddie OBE is an English author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who became famous as one of The Goodies....
.
Throughout the series, Alan displays his usual sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, and general bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
to everyone he comes into contact with, and via his radio show broadcasts.
Two unusual plot devices used during the series surround Alan's somewhat neurotic personal life.
One device consists of glimpses into his mind, depicting a fantasy night-club, which Alan seems to think of often and at the most inappropriate moments. In his club fantasies, Alan is a table dancer, dancing for whichever television authority he aims to please (usually Hayers, but also two Irish television executives he meets on one occasion). Even in these fantasies, Alan retains his unbearably boring and socially inept persona; he dances in a rubber thong
Thong
Thong may refer to:* Thong , a garment which primarily covers only the pubic area* Thongs, jandals or flip-flops, a type of footwear similar to sandals but which are not secured to the ankles...
but this is offset by wearing his jumper, shirt and tie in addition to his "erotic" apparel, and in his fantasies, Alan launches into his trademark dull and inane conversations.
The second plot device used throughout the series revolves around a drawer in Alan's hotel room. The viewers never see what is in the drawer, but the contents are occasionally glimpsed by other characters; Lynn becomes speechless when seeing the contents, Sophie bursts into a fit of giggling, and Alan himself goes to extreme lengths to keep the drawer closed when people are in the room.
Series one was first released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the United States on 24 October 2006.
Episodes
- 1. "Room with an Alan" — Alan and Lynn view a show-home, where Alan displays his usual behaviour, and manages both to confuse and to bore the estate agentEstate agentAn estate agent is a person or business that arranges the selling, renting or management of properties, and other buildings, in the United Kingdom and Ireland. An agent that specialises in renting is often called a letting or management agent...
. Later in the day, Alan attends a luncheon at the BBC headquarters with Hayers (David SchneiderDavid Schneider (actor)David Schneider is an English actor and comedian.Schneider studied modern languages at the University of Oxford, and studied for a DPhil in Yiddish Drama. During his time at university, Schneider performed a predominantly physical comedy act that contrasted with the trend towards stand-up comedy...
), the fictional programme commissioner of the BBC, about the possibility of a second series of Knowing Me, Knowing You. Apparently unaware of how low his chances really are, he puts the nail in the coffin by desperately offering a range of ridiculous, badly thought-out ideas for new programmes (such as "monkey tennisMonkey tennis"Monkey Tennis" is a British pop culture phrase, first used in the late 1990s and popular throughout the 2000s. Originating as a joke in a television sitcom, it has come to be commonly used as an example of the hypothetical lowest common denominator television programme that it is possible to make...
") that bore, bewilder, and eventually upset Hayers.
- When he is told that he is not to be re-commissioned, Alan attacks Hayers with a lump of cheeseCheeseCheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
and flees the restaurant while shouting "I've got cheese, this is cheese!". After a heart-to-heart with Lynn, Alan returns to his hotel room, attempts to order an Irish coffeeIrish coffeeIrish coffee is a cocktail consisting of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar, stirred, and topped with thick cream. The coffee is drunk through the cream. The original recipe explicitly uses cream that has not been whipped, although whipped cream is often used. Irish coffee may be considered a...
, turns on "JetJet (song)"Jet" is a song by Paul McCartney & Wings from their album Band on the Run. The song peaked at number 7 in both the British and American charts on 30 March 1974. Along with "Helen Wheels" and "Junior's Farm", it is another McCartney song where his primary inspiration for composing the song arose in...
" by WingsWings (band)Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
and gives himself a black eye while attempting an athletic leap from his bed to the mini-barMini-barA mini-bar is a small, private snack and beverage bar often found in upscale Western-style hotel rooms.-Overview:Typically, a mini-bar comes in the form of a counter and small refrigerator stocked with a precise inventory. The room's guests can take a beverage or snack at any time during their stay...
.
- 2. "Alan Attraction" — Without a second series of his programme, Alan is forced to fire all the staff at his company, Peartree Productions. However, when the staff ask him if he has a second series, Alan panics, and tells them that he has been successful.
- While the staff prepare a party, and Jill, his ageing, chain-smoking, divorcee receptionist (Julia DeakinJulia Deakin-Work:On television, Deakin played Stella Tulley in Side by Side and Marsha, the ageing but lovely divorcée landlady, in the British sitcom Spaced ....
) goes out to buy some snacks, Alan tries to extricate himself by firing staff members for various "offences" — leaving an unwashed coffee cup on the table; rolling eyes, and being a woman. While he is locked in his boardroom, the staff leave.
- Jill returns, wondering where everyone has got to (he tells her they have gone to a spice museum) and the two go on a date to a nearby owlOwlOwls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
sanctuary, where Alan's attempts at conversation bewilder Jill.
- In the evening, the two attend a Valentine's DayValentine's DaySaint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
dinner at the Travel Tavern, where Alan makes a fool of himself by singing "Close To You" for her with the hired band, and Lynn repeatedly attempts to sabotage Alan's evening with the uncouth Jill. Alan and Jill return to his room, and in one of the most memorable moments of the series, Alan attempts to make love to Jill while providing a running commentary and, at the critical moment, attempts a discussion of the pedestrianisation of the Norwich city centre. After Jill's attempts at eroticism and Alan — covered in chocolate mousse — Jill leaves and Alan goes to work, where he tells Jill over the radio that she is sacked.
- 3. "Watership Alan" — After making various unsympathetic comments about farming on his radio show, Alan becomes an object of hatred for local farmers. But he does not have time to worry about this as he is more concerned with shooting an advertisement for a small boating-holiday company. In the Travel Tavern's bar, during an initial interview with the video executives (Peter BaynhamPeter BaynhamPeter Baynham is a screenwriter and a British comedian, writer, and performer. He often collaborates with Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris and has worked with Stewart Lee and Richard Herring. He is first heard on Morris' early radio DJ slots, often going out to places...
and Simon PeggSimon PeggSimon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
), Alan panics and invents the ladyboy drink combination, the effects of which result in him phoning his ex-wife Carol, where he tries to insult her partner's car.
- On his radio show, Alan interviews the leader of the local Farmers' Union (Chris MorrisChris Morris (satirist)Christopher Morris is an English satirist, writer, director and actor. A former radio DJ, he is best known for anchoring the spoof news and current affairs television programmes The Day Today and Brass Eye, as well as his frequent engagement with controversial subject matter.In 2010 Morris...
), but instead of apologising, enrages local farmers even further by making increasingly insane comments about farmers. On the day of the video-shoot, Alan attempts to blend in with the hard-drinking crew and again displays his chronic lack of basic social skills. During the shoot, riddled with examples of Alan's pathetic ineptitude, he is crushed by a dead cow thrown from a bridge by the disgruntled local farmers.
- Alan returns from hospital with a neck brace and broken fingers, and is forced to humiliate himself by phoning reception and asking them to reconnect the satellite receiver on his television which he had previously switched off because the staff discovered he was watching pornographyPornographyPornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
.
- 4. "Basic Alan" — There are major refurbishments taking place at the Linton Travel Tavern, during which the hotel is closed, leaving Alan as the only guest. Throughout the episode, he is desperately bored and does various things to pass the time, including dismantling a trouser press, walking along a dual-carriageway to a petrol station to buy several bottles of windscreen washer fluid, driving round the ring-road three times, buying some tungsten-tipped screws he never intends to use and dressing up as a zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
in a poorly planned practical joke. His boredom culminates with an incompetent attempt to steal a traffic cone, with Michael and Lynn.
- 5. "To Kill a Mocking Alan" — Alan hosts "An Afternoon with Alan Partridge" at the Travel Tavern which is attended by his self-confessed "biggest fan", Jed Maxwell. He is also visited by Irish network executives (Graham LinehanGraham LinehanGraham Linehan is an Irish television writer, actor, comedian and director who, often in partnership with Arthur Mathews, has written or co-written a number of popular television comedies...
and Arthur MathewsArthur Mathews (writer)Arthur Mathews is an Irish comedy writer and actor who, often with writing partner Graham Linehan, has either written or contributed to a number of popular television comedies, most notably Father Ted. He is a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology...
) who are considering giving him a show on Irish television. Naturally, they are less than impressed by Alan (particularly regarding his ignorant take on the Troubles), though they do get along very well with Lynn. Through a series of mishaps, the three of them end up at Jed's house. Having no home of his own, Alan pretends he cohabits with Jed, with extremely awkward consequences. The two executives make their excuses and leave, leaving Alan alone to discover that Jed's fandom is of a highly obsessive nature, with one of the rooms acting as shrine to the presenter. Alan becomes increasingly worried about his own safety and, following an altercation with Jed, he escapes and is seen running across nearby fields to flee the crazed and embittered fan.
- 6. "Towering Alan" — After a depressing afternoon hosting a small village fayre and judging the vegetable competition, Alan is delighted to discover that Hayers has died and his successor, Chris Feather, is a man who had actually always supported, and liked Alan. Attending Hayers's funeral (he knows Feather will be there) he immediately snaps up the opportunity to finally win his sought-after second series, but not before another shock death threatens to throw his dream into tatters.
The series ended with a party in Alan's room as Alan and Lynn tidied up to the theme from The Adventures of Black Beauty
The Adventures of Black Beauty
The Adventures of Black Beauty is a British children's television drama series produced by London Weekend Television and shown by ITV in the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1974...
, after all the guests have prematurely left. The series ends on a surprisingly upbeat note, with Alan pretty pleased with himself.
Series two
By series two, the viewer catches up with Alan five years after he left the Linton Travel Tavern. Despite winning a five-year contract at the end of the first series, bad blood between himself and the BBC forced Alan to leave once again. He himself admits that in the intervening time he'd been "clinically fed up", having a nervous breakdownNervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
which culminated in him putting on a lot of weight and driving a Vauxhall Vectra to Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
in his bare feet whilst gorging on Toblerone
Toblerone
Toblerone is a chocolate bar brand owned by Kraft Foods, who acquired the product from former owner Jacobs Suchard in 1990. It is well-known for its distinctive packaging, its prism shape and its ubiquity in duty-free shops.The triangular shape of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps is commonly...
s.
He also threw his tax receipts off of a ferry during what he called "a low point". By the start of this series, he believes himself to have "bounced back", titling his poorly selling autobiography Bouncing Back.
As well as his book, he has Radio Norwich's third-best slot (his rival from Series 1, Dave Clifton, again follows his show, but this is now a 'graveyard' midnight slot), a military-based game show called Skirmish on fictional cable television channel "UK Conquest" and has released a video of car accidents entitled Crash, Bang, Wallop, What a Video!
Alan now finds himself living in a static caravan outside his partially built dream home. He is flanked by his friend Michael, who has left his job at the Travel Tavern to become a cashier at a local BP garage (this recalls Alan's odd question in the first episode of the first series to the estate agent, when he asked if there were any petrol stations near the house with minimarts - "scaled down supermarket, fits inside a petrol station").
Alan now has two women in his life, not only is he still tended to by his long-suffering and underpaid personal assistant Lynn but he has a younger Ukrainian girlfriend, Sonja (Bullmore).
Episodes
- 1. "The Talented Mr Alan" — While visiting Michael at the petrol station, Alan has a chance meeting with his old teacher Frank "Sweaty" (or "Cacky") Raphael (Andrew BurtAndrew BurtAndrew Burt is an English actor, who has appeared in many British TV drama series from the 1970s to the present day...
). Alan convinces Raphael to let him give a talk to the sixth formers at the school where Raphael is now headmaster.
- Whilst at the school, Alan bumps into an old schoolmate of his who is now a teacher (Ian Puleston-DaviesIan Puleston-Davies-Early life and career:Born in Flint, Wales, Puleston-Davies has starred in the ITV drama Vincent alongside Ray Winstone, and Ghostboat , alongside David Jason. He has also played the lead roles in Conviction and the BBC Three series Funland.He has starred in long-running dramas such as Holby...
). They try to reminisce over old times, but Alan still holds a grudge against this schoolmate, who once drew a penis on the back of his school blazer in chalk; Frank Raphael had caned Alan for this prank.
- Later Alan begins his talk to the students which, of course, all goes wrong. Alan ends up insulting Raphael for caning him when he was younger and also insults his schoolmate for "getting the lab assistant pregnant, and never sees the kid." All of this results in Alan receiving a stern talking-to in the headmaster's office.
- Towards the end of the episode, the reviled schoolmate comes into the petrol station; Alan, thinking he has come to fight, tries to threaten him with an apple turnover. The schoolmate apologises to Alan and hopes that they can be friends again, but as the schoolmate leaves the petrol station a customer tells him that he has got something on his back: Alan got Lynn to draw a chalk penis on his back.
- The episode ends with Alan being besieged in the petrol station.
- 2. "The Colour of Alan" — Michael comes to stay for a few days after his front door is stolen; Alan is asked to present a sales conference for "Dante's of Reading," a company that supplies coal-effect fires and fireplaces. Dante's Piet Morant (Steve Brody), a South African, visits Alan's partially built house.
- Whilst Alan buys time, taking Piet for an hour-long pub lunch, Lynn and Michael improvise some make-shift furniture in the empty house: they balance a toilet door on a Black & DeckerBlack & DeckerBlack & Decker Corporation is a corporation based in Towson, Maryland, United States, that designs and imports power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products, and technology based fastening systems...
Workmate for a table and attach several torches to a bicycle wheel for lighting. This fails to impress Morant, who is even less impressed by Alan's attempt at a South African accent.
- Nevertheless, Alan is awarded the job, but tragedy ensues when Alan tries to climb over a country club's fence and impales his foot on a metal spike. Lynn tells him to stay in hospital but Alan is completely adamant about doing the speech for "Dante's of Reading." Unfortunately, his vomiting and foot pain turn his speech into a disaster.
- 3. "Brave Alan" — Alan makes a new friend at the BP garage, Dan (Stephen ManganStephen ManganStephen Mangan is an English actor, best known for his roles as Guy Secretan in the television series Green Wing, Dan Moody in I'm Alan Partridge and as Holistic Detective Dirk Gently in the 2010 BBC adaptation of Douglas Adams' book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, as well as Sean Lincoln...
). They both like the same beer, use the same deodorant, and drive Lexi ("the plural of Lexus").
- Dan owns "Kitchen Planet" and arranges for Alan to present the Colman's Mustard Bravery Awards. Alan's attempts to converse with Karen Colman are hugely unsuccessful; he even admits to her that he had mental health issues. She strikes up an instant rapport with Sonja, however, later inviting her back to her house without Alan.
- On hearing that the Colmans' family motto is "Too much mustardMustard (condiment)Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
gets up your nose," Alan tries desperately to impress her by eating a big spoonful of mustard. However, an unimpressed Karen has put this down to Alan's previously declared "mental health", leaving him further humiliated.
- Later, at Dan's home, Alan finds out that Dan and his wife enjoy a deviantly spicy lifestyle; to his great discomfort, they show him a tape of them having intercourse.
- 4. "Never Say Alan Again" — Alan plans a BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
-athon (watching all the Bond films in sequential order) for the bank holidayBank HolidayA bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
weekend with Michael. Lynn reveals to Alan that she has a new friend, Gordon, an ex-policeman who threatens Alan for mistreating Lynn at times.
- The Bond weekend all goes pear-shaped when Lynn accidentally destroys his Bond movies after spilling Sunny DelightSunny DelightSunny Delight may refer to the following:* SunnyD, the main drink made by Sunny Delight Beverages* Sunny Delight Beverages, the maker of Sunny Delight...
over them. Alan is about to give her the full force of his anger when Gordon stands up next to her: Alan panics, backs down, and gives her a cash raise and tells her not to worry about the videos.
- When he discovers that Michael has another friend, Tex (Peter SerafinowiczPeter SerafinowiczPeter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
), he becomes jealous and falls out with Michael, un-inviting him to the Bond-athon. Alan targets John the builder for his new friend/protector-from-Gordon. After patching things up with Michael, Alan discovers that Tex has taped over the one undamaged Bond film with an episode of "America's Strongest Man."
- Because of this, he declares himself "Norfolk's Maddest Man" and decides to give the group a physical run-through of the entire opening sequence of The Spy Who Loved MeThe Spy Who Loved Me (film)The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
.
- 5. "I Know What Alan Did Last Summer" — The Inland RevenueInland RevenueThe Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
are due to call and carry out a random investigation on Alan's business affairs, causing him to worry. The Inland Revenue people arrive earlier than the set time, catching Alan dancing around in his caravan to Gary NumanGary NumanGary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
's "Music For Chameleons".
- During the investigation, Alan makes a fool out of himself several more times, including trying to walk like R2-D2R2-D2R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
, raising his legs, and accidentally farting right next to the Inland Revenue people. This leads to him having a minor argument with Sonja, which is all seen by the tax people. In order to make things up to her, he takes her to BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
's house (really Blickling HallBlickling HallBlickling Hall is a stately home in the village of Blickling north of Aylsham in Norfolk, England, that has been in the care of the National Trust since 1940.-History:...
), after falsely claiming to be a personal friend of his. Lynn also gets a friend of hers from the Baptist Church to pretend to be Bono, even giving him her mother's cataractCataractA cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...
glasses to wear in hope that Sonja would be convinced he is Bono.
- Alan is rumbled by Sonja and by way of apology for the deception and for stabbing a giant teddy bear beefeater that Sonja bought him (with a receipt spike; on entering the static caravan, he mistook the bear for a burglar), he grudgingly consents to take her to London.
- 6. "Alan Wide Shut" — The building work on Alan's house is finally complete and Sonja is angling to cohabit. Alan however, has other ideas and tries to "come to some arrangement" with her. He is interviewed on a radio show called Prayer Wave, where his insensitive comments result in one of the guests (Julia DavisJulia DavisJulia Davis is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.-Background:...
) walking out.
- After this, he attends Lynn's christening at her church where he simulates blowing his head off with a shotgun and assaults one of the guests (Rob BrydonRob BrydonRob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
) who questions Alan's anecdote-writing ability.
- Meanwhile, with "The Windmills of Your MindThe Windmills of Your Mind"The Windmills of Your Mind" is a song performed by Noel Harrison, with music composed by Michel Legrand and English lyrics written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, which was used as the theme for the 1968 film, The Thomas Crown Affair, starring Steve McQueen alongside and ultimately versus...
" playing on the soundtrack, the remaining 14,000 unsold copies of Alan's book, "Bouncing Back," are pulped. Alan takes some away with him in a plastic bag as mementoes.
Geography
All the places name-dropped in I'm Alan Partridge are real locations in East Anglia.Linton and Longstanton
South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire is a mostly rural local government district of Cambridgeshire, England. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Chesterton Rural District and South Cambridgeshire Rural District. It surrounds the city of Cambridge, which is administered separately from the district by...
are in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, though neither has a Travel Tavern
Travelodge
Travelodge refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and Australia...
nor a spice museum.
Exterior shots of the Linton Travel Tavern were actually filmed at the Hilton Hotel on Elton Way in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. Spalding
Spalding, Lincolnshire
Spalding is a market town with a population of 30,000 on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. Little London is a hamlet directly south of Spalding on the B1172 road....
is in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
; Swaffham
Swaffham
Swaffham is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,935 in 3,130 households...
is a market town in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Spixworth
Spixworth
Spixworth is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village lies close to the B1150 road and is north of Norwich and some south of North Walsham.It covers an area of and had a population of 3,769 in 1,508 households as of the 2001 census....
and Hemsby
Hemsby
Hemsby is a village, civil parish and seaside resort in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some north of the town of Great Yarmouth....
are real Norfolk villages which feature in the show as the home location of phone-in guests. Sprowston
Sprowston
Sprowston is a small town bordering Norwich in Norfolk, England. It is bounded by Heartsease to the east, Mousehold Heath and the suburb of New Sprowston to the south , Old Catton to the west, and by the open farmland of Beeston St Andrew to the north.It was the largest parish in Norfolk and the...
, a real village just outside of Norwich, is mentioned in the episode Never Say Alan Again in a conversation with John, Alan's builder.
The (Great) Ouse
Ouse
Ouse may refer to:*the town of Ouse, Tasmania, Australiaand in the United Kingdom to:*the River Ouse, Yorkshire*The River Ouse, Sussex*The Ouse, an estuary on Shapinsay, in the Orkney Islands*The River Great Ouse in East Anglia...
and the Waveney
Waveney
Waveney is a local government district in Suffolk, England, named after the River Waveney that forms its north-west border. The district council is based in Lowestoft, the major settlement in Waveney, which is the only unparished area in the district...
are major rivers, as referenced in Radio Norwich's ident. Linton really is equidistant between London and Norwich (about 95 km (59 mi) in each direction). Due to the coverage, a number of Norfolk residents are not happy with the association.
Tiptree
Tiptree
Tiptree is a village in the English county of Essex, situated south-east of Colchester and around north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham....
is mentioned in Radio Norwich's ident even though it lies in the heart of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. On a similar vein, Felixstowe is also mentioned even though it is in East Suffolk.
Film adaptation
In a 2006 interview, Coogan confirmed that Partridge would return for either a film or a television special.Coogan resurrected the character in his stand up shows in 2008, alongside some of his other old characters, such as Paul Calf.