A-ha! Six BBC Radio 4 episodes featuring the king of chat Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan), in a series of hysterically excrutiating encounters with guests played by Rebecca Front, David Schneider, Patrick Marber and Doon Mackichan. Also included are two bonus programmes: a spoof behind-the-scenes feature Knowing Knowing Me, Knowing You and In Conversation with Steve Coogan. Duration: 4 hours approx.
Steve Coogan was born and raised in Manchester in the 1960s, the fourth of six children. From an early age he entertained his family with impressions and was often told he should 'be on the telly'. Failing to get into any of the London-based drama schools, he accepted a place at Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre and before graduating had been given his first break as a voice artist on the satirical puppet show Spitting Image. The late eighties and early nineties saw Coogan developing characters he could perform on the comedy circuit, from Ernest Moss to Paul Calf, and in 1992 he won a Perrier award with John Thomson.
It was around the same time, while working with Armando Iannucci and Patrick Marber on On The Hour and The Day Today, that Alan Partridge emerged, almost fully formed. Coogan, once a tabloid fixture, is now a respected film actor, writer and producer. He runs his own production company, Baby Cow, has a raft of films to his name (from 24 Hour Party People to Alpha Papa, the critically-acclaimed Partridge film), six Baftas and seven Comedy Awards. He has found huge success in recent years with both The Trip and Philomena, the latter bringing him two Oscar nominations, for producing and co-writing.
In Easily Distracted he lifts the lid on the real Steve Coogan, writing with distinctive humour and an unexpected candour about a noisy childhood surrounded by foster kids, his attention-seeking teenage years and his emergence as a household name with the birth of Alan Partridge.Narrated by Steve Coogan himself.
Steve Coogan is Alan Partridge, the crass chat show host who has a spectacular fall from grace in these 3 BBC TV episodes. 'Knowing me, Knowing Yule' (29 December 1995) In a special Christmas edition of his television chat show, the irrespressible Alan bids the nation good tidings from 'an exact replica reproduction' of the interior of his house - and counts the BBC's Chief Commissioning Editor amongst his guests. However, his attempts to secure a second series go far from well... in fact they end in complete disaster. 'I'm Alan Partridge - A Room with an Alan' (3 November 1997) Since the catastrophic end to his chat show, Alan has been rebuilding his career as an early morning DJ on Radio Norwich. His wife has left him for a fitness instructor, and Alan has moved to the Linton Travel Tavern - where, he says 'they make a cracking Irish coffee.' In this first episode we meet Alan's personal assistant Lynn, whom he describes as being like Burt Reynolds - very reliable, but she's got a moustache. 'I'm Alan Partridge Alan Attraction' (10 November 1997) The romantic excitement of Valentine's Day is tempered with ill tidings for Alan, who's faced with the prospect of giving up his Rover 200 and sacking everyone at his production company. He still finds time, though, to whisk the lovely Jill off for a day at the local bird sanctuary, in the hope that she genuinely likes him 'sex-wise'.
'Knowing me Alan Partridge, knowing you... a-ha!' A lot of people say that, when it comes to drama and comedy, the pictures are so much better on the radio. As Alan Partridge says, 'all those people are wrong'. There's a new chat in town as the hit programme comes live from BBC Television Centre, and Alan ushers on a variety of guests including horsewoman of few words Sue Lewis, powerful hypnotist Tony le Mesmer, fashion designer Yvonne Boyd, and husband and wife thespians Tania Baker and Gary Baker. There's also a whole edition of the programme broadcast from sexy Paris, city of French people. Joining Steve Coogan as he squirms his way across the easy chairs are Steve Brown, Minnie Driver, Rebecca Front, Melanie Hudson, Doon MacKichan, Patrick Marber and David Schneider.
