Steve Coogan reveals why Alan Partridge has a new beard

29 September 2022, 14:40 | Updated: 29 September 2022, 14:53

Steve Coogan on quitting alcohol and Alan Partridge

By Jenny Mensah

The actor and comedian has talked about his famous character's latest podcast and revealed why he's sporting extra facial hair.

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Steve Coogan popped into The Chris Moyles Show this week to talk all things Alan Partridge including the second season of his podcast.

Super-fans may have noticed that the latest advert for The Alan Partridge Podcast sees the hapless broadcaster pictured for the first time with facial hair.

Now, speaking to Radio X, Coogan has revealed the choice of giving Partridge extra foliage was partly because he couldn't be bothered to shave and partly to annoy die-hard fans and partly to develop the character more.

He revealed: "I had a message, 'Would you shave your beard off?' I just went, 'No I'll just give him a beard.'

[They said] 'Won't it look a bit weird?' I went, 'Yeah, let's just give him a beard and make him look a bit weird and make people think why has he got a beard?'"

He added: "Look, it's been a long record that we've been playing. You've got to do something to change it. {...} Also, sometimes we'll make a decision about Alan and think the die hard fans will think, 'Why are they doing that?' So let's just do it to slightly annoy them."

Steve Coogan talks to Chris Moyles about Alan Partridge and more. Picture: Radio X

Coogan also opened up about his decision to stop drinking and revealed he hasn't touched a drop "since January".

Asked when he stopped drinking, he said: "Well, I've had a few periods of not drinking and then periods of drinking again, but when I say periods of drinking I'm not rolling around with a bottle in my hand."

Quizzed if it was a conscious decision, he added: "I'm just better at everything when I don't drink. Better at being a person, better at writing, better at everything."

He added: "Certainly in the past if you write comedy there's a mythical thing that if you're sort of half cut then you're funnier and I don't go by that".

Watch our full interview above.

The Alan Partridge Podcast is available now.

Listen to the latest podcast from The Chris Moyles Show:

Radio X is available on 104.9FM in London, 97.7FM in Manchester, on Digital Radio across the UK, on your smart speaker, online or via Global Player.