A release provided by the BBC teases: “What begins as a documentary about homecoming soon morphs into something more personal, as Alan realises that the happiness he thought he’d feel at being back in Norwich just hasn’t materialised. Something’s missing.”
The series will follow Alan as he “sets off on a quest to understand his funk”, exploring various issues that “play a part in keeping us funk-free” – including home life, work life, relationships and the importance of nature.
The synopsis continues: “And if he ends up being seen as a mental health champion for the middle-aged, who’s also a good fit to present other issues-led documentary strands, so be it.”
Speaking about his return to the screen, Partridge himself said: “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys extensive oil and natural gas reserves, but has also seen economic growth in other areas such as agricultural production, retail trade, construction and transport.
“It directs some $69 billion to military expenditure each year. And yet despite all that, I somehow felt incomplete.”
Meanwhile, the BBC’s director of comedy commissioning, Jon Petrie, said: “Alan Partridge is the most iconic comedy character in the UK. The wonderful Steve Coogan and Neil and Rob Gibbons continue to innovate and create an even richer world for Alan to inhabit.
“This unflinching look at the state of the UK through Alan’s eyes promises to add more brilliance to the Partridge canon.”
Coogan first played Alan Partridge more than 30 years ago on BBC Radio 4 show On the Hour, and the character has since starred in numerous TV shows of his own, including Knowing Me, Knowing You, I’m Alan Partridge and, most recently, This Time with Alan Partridge.
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