Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan: bewildered by his own success

As his Alpha Papa film opens to great reviews, the TV comedian is increasingly resembling his Alan Partridge creation.

Steve Coogan: Alan Partridge is becoming more like me

"If Alan was a real person, I'd probably just hate him, but there's enough humanity in him for me to have empathy"

The gamble of bringing Alan Partridge to the big screen

As the much-loved comedy creation Alan Partridge finally makes it onto the big screen, Steve Coogan and the team behind it tell the BBC how it only happened after "many rows", "jumping through hoops" and almost another film's worth of material ending up on the cutting room floor.

As Alan Partridge fever sweeps the nation with the release of eagerly awaited movie Alpha Papa tomorrow, here's a chance to fill your boots with its creator Steve Coogan. This two-part documentary follows him on tour in Australia and New Zealand and he's as funny and downright contrary as his reputation would lead you to expect, high-tailing it into the middle of nowhere when the pressure of playing up to expectations starts to do his head in. And the clips of his stand-up act, as acerbic as ever, are a reminder that Partridge is only part of the act.

Steve Coogan jokingly refers to these shows as a '90s revival tour'. But this 2009 trip to Australia is a little more than that. Weirdly, Coogan has never played in Oz before so the trip is something of a punt, taking in reasonably small venues and offering a surprising sense of lo-fi make do and mend.

Have catchphrase, will travel, though. It's not long before autograph hunters are exhorting him to 'enjoy Linton travel tavern' and asking for 'Cock Piss Partridge' to be written on their programmes. It's an intimate portrait, but Coogan still seems somewhat unknowable: simultaneously needy and oddly distant. The film concludes tomorrow night with hecklers and a spot of disillusion. Not essential but, with Alpha Papa fever rampant, perfectly timed.

Alan Partridge to appear on The One Show

Partridge creator Steve Coogan will be gracing the BBC1 show's sofa tonight to talk about his comedy alter ego's foray into cinema.

Alan Partridge: the 'A-ha!' moments

From Radio 4 to the big screen, via the Linton Travel Tavern: how did Alan Partridge become the man he is today? As his new film Alpha Papa is released, Steve Coogan and his writers talk to Stuart Husband about the character's past, present and future.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa review

Alpha Papa gives Steve Coogan the chance to show what a subtle, funny and clever comedy actor he is.

Steve Coogan: Stand Up Down Under preview

Even though we only get to see short clips of Steve's performances, it is clear how masterfully he has perfected his characters, as well as overall act.

Steve Coogan: 'There is an overlap between me and Alan'

After a blustery day behind the scenes of Alpha Papa, the question remains: where does Steve Coogan end and his most famous creation begins.