Comment: Oi, Coogan, nooooo!

The British Sitcom Guide's Scott Thompson on why an 'Alan Partridge' film is a bad idea...

Next year will see Alan Partridge make the transition from small to big screen. Bad news for those of us who find feature spinoffs as amusing as an outbreak of beri-beri.

With the excellent '24 Hour Party People' and 'A Cock and Bull Story' under his belt, Steve Coogan has proven himself to be a first rate screen actor, which is why I'm surprised to see him sign up for an Alan Partridge film. It's an unwritten rule that big screen versions of TV shows fall in to the following categories - mediocre ('Kevin and Perry Go Large', 'Bean' etc) and cinematic monstrosities on a par with 'Police Academy: Mission to Moscow', 'Jaws: The Revenge' and anything directed by Michael Bay (the inexplicably popular 'On the Buses' and sequels spring immediately to mind). Given the fact that Armando Iannucci won't be involved, having declared himself sick of Alan, who would bet on this latest venture bucking the trend?

In Iannucci's absence, Patrick Marber is set to handle writing duties along with Coogan. This and a few disturbing rumours aside (including a supporting role for that renowned thespian Posh Spice, last seen stinking up our screens in 'Spiceworld: the Movie'), little is known about the project. All of which suggests there is still a chance it might not happen. We can but hope... Whilst the second series of I'm Alan Partridge wasn't quite up there with its genius predecessor, it did produce a number of laugh-out-loud moments and left the door open for a third outing. But it's hard to see how they can adapt Partridge's antics to the big screen without watering down the qualities that made the TV shows stick in the memory. Here's hoping that common sense prevails and they either (a) ditch the movie idea and instead opt for a third series of I'm Alan Partridge or (b) quit while they're ahead. Better we remember Naughty Norwich's finest facing an uncertain future, having just witnessed his book being pulped, than as the subject of a lame cash in.

Editor note: Since this article was written the movie project has been put on hold due to the terrorist themed plot within the script. Coogan went on to star in Saxondale instead.