Coogan: Brexiteers are dinosaurs just like Partridge
STEVE Coogan has suggested Brexiteers are ‘dinosaurs’ – just like his comedy character Alan Partridge.
The 52-year- old said the tactless radio host’s ‘archaic social views’ are now widespread. He explained Partridge would have voted to leave the eU and said it was ‘depressing’ that the public agreed.
The comedian, who is open about his Leftwing views and backed Remain, told the Radio Times: ‘The world has coalesced into a situation that is sympathetic to Alan, which for me is quite depressing.
‘He’s definitely a bit of a dinosaur. Unbelievably, you look around at the world now and see that there are still broadcasters with full-on, red-blooded, Alan-like attitudes. we thought we had thoroughly debunked that. It just shows how little influence you actually have on the national culture.’
Coogan said he was in two minds about whether to address Brexit in a new series of Alan Partridge. The hit comedy returns to BBC1 next year after a 15-year gap. He eventually decided to include the topic as ‘having a fool praise something is a far more powerful indictment than just criticising it’. ‘Also, Alan can be like the boy who says the emperor’s wearing no clothes,’ he added.
He said the character – whose shows include Knowing Me, Knowing You – allows him to ‘say things that, were I to say them as myself, would probably be career-ending’.
The actor once said he would be keen to work with the Labour Party. He has also become a campaigner against tabloid newspapers and received a six-figure sum in damages from Mirror Group Newspapers in October after his phone was hacked.