Is movie plan back on again?

The plot of the proposed film has the inept presenter attempting another comeback from local radio, only to have his ambitions thwarted when Middle Eastern terrorists hijack the BBC offices.

Coogan has written some dialogue, but has said he is not sure whether he wants to revisit his most famous creation. ‘Part of me wants to do it, part of me wants to do other things,’ he said in a recent interview.

According to today’s Sunday Times, lines from his negotiation with the terrorists include: ‘Your position is that you want to destroy the West. The West’s position is that, broadly speaking, they don’t want to be destroyed.

‘Is there a midway between those two positions that could satisfy us both? Rather than suicide bombings, you achieve so much more with a sternly worded letter.’

Playwright Patrick Marber, whose early collaborations with Coogan included The Day Today, has also been working on the script, but the pair put their plans on hold following the London bombings, for fear the screenplay would appear in bad taste.

Actress Felicity Montagu, who plays Partridge's PA Lynne, said last year: ‘There was a lot of talk about it, but then the London bombings happened and it got put to one side. I'm sure Steve will write an Alan Partridge film eventually. But for the moment I don't think it's happening.’

And back in 2005, Armando Iannucci, who helped Coogan create Partridge, said he did not want to be involved in any movie spin-off, saying: ‘Steve wants to do an Alan Partridge film, but I couldn't bear to go through that again. For me, the idea of spending two more years in a room with that voice is more than I can take.’

Hollywood studio Universal at British production company Talkback Thames are said to be willing to bankroll any Partridge movie.

Published: 11 Nov 2007