Simon Greenall

'You're a mentalist!': what happened when Alan Partridge met his number one fan

In Alan's finest half-hour, he offended the Irish, sold a few tie-and-blazer badge combinations and made a new friend. But what inspired it?

The Love Box in Your Living Room review

Cultural vandal Nadine Dorries's laughable attempts at free-market broadcasting this week might be the best advert for maintaining the licence fee, but the surprisingly heart-warming conclusion to this bitingly funny hour comes a close second. We'll miss the BBC when it's gone... and this excellent programme is just one more reason why.

The Oral History of Alan Partridge

Alan Partridge is Middle England incarnate. From hapless sports presenter, to hapless TV presenter, to hapless podcaster, Norwich's favourite son is as maddening as he is endearing. He's also managed to do what very few characters in the comedy world successfully manage to do: endure.

The Other One, Holly Walsh's gleeful twin-family saga ended (if you've been watching in real time) on a real high. It had many terrific lines, mainly - as usual - from Ellie White as Cathy, whom you suspect the writer most identifies with. One clue: she gives her the sharpest lines. After she has been given a particularly gaudy tiara-and-mascara makeover by Cat (Lauren Socha), dowdy safe Cathy declares to the mirror: "Oh My God! I love it... I look like I could have my own show! On ITV3!" Marilyn (Siobhan Finneran) finally makes it out of the house, Rebecca Front's Tess finally forgives cheating Colin (Simon Greenall) and, after a cheeky red herring, the stage is well set for a second series. There have been harder recommissions to predict.

TV review: The Other One

Despite all the jokes about class, Marcus's disastrous 'dick pics' disaster and the essential betrayal at the heart of the Walcott's marriage, there's a real sweetness to the developing relationship between the two Catherines which makes this a joy to watch.

Review: The Road To Brexit, BBC2

I didn't write about this Matt Berry one-off written by Arthur Mathews earlier because I assumed it would be postponed when Brexit was postponed. Instead it is going full steam ahead, so at least there is something to laugh about at the moment.

Review - Alan Partridge: Why When Where How and Whom?

Steve Coogan's monstrous comic icon is all set to return to the BBC next year with a new Brexit-related show, so as a nice curtain-raiser this documentary about Alan Partridge works as both a laugh-packed clips show and a history of the spoof celebrity who put Norwich on the map.

Preview: Alan Partridge: Why, When, Where, How & Whom?

This richly textured account of the craft involved in that early development and the ongoing story of how, through Coogan's virtuoso performance, Alan remains one of the most beloved comic creations of the last few decades.

Interview: Simon Greenall on playing Mike the Geordie

This week marks the 20th anniversary of I'm Alan Partridge, where we followed the failed Norfolk TV host through his continued fall from grace.

Preview - The Other One

While BBC One has been busy with its Comedy Playhouse season of pilots, BBC Two has now beginning showing pilots too.