By Lucy Norris

Copyright hellomagazine

BBC viewers are sitting on tenterhooks as they eagerly await the arrival of Alan Partridge’s latest comedic offering. Steve Coogan, 59, is reprising his beloved character for a unique look at mental health in a brand new mockumentary series he’s calling How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge). The six-part series is set to air on Friday, 3 October and will see the star explore a variety of mental health issues plaguing the United Kingdom, with a Partridge special twist. It has been four years since fans have seen Alan on TV screens, and according to those online, they really “can’t wait”.

What is How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) about?

The series, co-written by the comedian himself and Neil and Rob Gibbons, follows the return of the iconic character Alan as he makes his way back to the United Kingdom after spending time in Saudi Arabia. Alan had been doing promotional work in the Middle East, and in this new show, he is attempting to rebuild his career through filming a documentary on the subject of mental health.

Reflecting on his latest work, Steve told The Guardian: “You [can] say things through the character or talk about stuff that’s potentially problematic. It’s good to talk about stuff that is seen as taboo, not just to be provocative, but because you actually can, weirdly, shine a light on it and be more honest about it in some ways, by using Alan.”

He added: “We highlight things by showing Alan’s small-mindedness and prejudice, but sometimes he stumbles accidentally on shining a light on something, and can say that the emperor’s not wearing any clothes [and] say the unsayable.”

What are fans saying about it?

Extremely excited Alan fans have rallied together online to express their anticipation at what’s to come with this new concept and their love for the character that Steve first debuted in 1991 on a Radio 4 series called On the Hour. They shared notes of enthusiasm on X, saying things like: “Satire’s back with teeth”, and “We can’t wait”. Some fans speculated about what the character would bring to screens and said, “I’m expecting Alan’s trademark sympathetic/empathetic approach”, followed by laughing face emojis.

Who is Alan Partridge?

The comedic character was first invented by Steve as a parody of British television presenters in the late 1990s. The larger-than-life alter ego was designed to be tactless and inept. He worked as a broadcaster with right-wing views and since his inception, has starred on radio shows, television and has appeared in books, podcasts and on film.

Regularly dubbed one of the UK’s greatest comedy characters, Steve’s Alan became a household name after he was given a series of his own on the BBC. I’m Alan Partridge first aired in 1997 and lasted for two series, with the second running in 2002. Nominated for plenty an award, the show was critically acclaimed and earned the respect of the likes of BAFTA and the Royal Television Society.