Steve Coogan returns to stand-up

Following our report in September, Steve Coogan has now confirmed he is to go on his first stand-up tour since 1998, starring this autumn.

His new tour, "Steve Coogan Is Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters", will be his first tour for ten years. His last tour, "The Man Who Thinks He's It" was performed in front of 350,000 people at 200 venues in 1998.

So far, the only character confirmed to be appearing in the show is the already mentioned Alan Partridge. Other characters who may well appear may include Paul and Pauline Calf, and Tommy Saxondale.

At the time of writing, Coogan has announced 40 dates around the country. He will be performing at (in chronological order): Stoke-on-Trent, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Derby, Nottingham, Blackburn, Liverpool, Ipswich, Bristol, Norwich, Southend, Sheffield, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Portsmouth, Brighton, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Newcastle and Leeds.

In an article in the Guardian today, former comedy critic Phil Daoust told of Coogan's reaction to his bad review of "The Man Who Thinks He's It".

He explained: "A friend ran up to me waving Coogan's brand-new video, in which a recording of the show was topped and tailed with fake behind-the-scenes footage. There Coogan was in his dressing room, in gown and hairnet, spitting on a copy of the Guardian, effing and blinding about me and my review. "'Doesn't take risks!' 'Doesn't take risks!' he fumed. "What's ... What's taking a risk? Is skulking in the shadows of a theatre making snide remarks about someone who makes 3,000 people laugh every fucking night, is that taking a risk? I'll tell you what taking a risk would be - for Philippe Daoust to meet me down a dark alley. I'd shove his three stars up his arse. I was delighted, of course, as most critics are whenever we get a reaction." I still have the video, though the tape's wearing a little thin now."

In other news, Coogan to star in the sequel to Night at the Museum, entitled Escape from the Smithsonian. Coogan appeared in the first film as Octavius, a role he reprises.