Partridge: royal baby upstaged me

FICTIONAL DJ Alan Partridge last night booed the royal baby for stealing his thunder as he premiered his new film Alpha Papa.

Comedian Steve Coogan, appearing in character as his comedy creation, arrived in London’s Leicester Square in a bright yellow Radio Norwich road bus.

Partridge thanked the crowd for coming and said: “There would have been more people but we got gazumped by royal baby. Boo!”

The big screen spin-off of the hit TV show sees Partridge called in by police to help negotiate with his colleague Pat Farrell, played by Colm Meaney, who stages a siege after he is sacked from North Norfolk Digital radio station.

Partridge said: “It’s a great film. It’s not going to win any Oscars, let’s be frank, because it’s not about the Holocaust or mental illness. But I hope the film reaches out and touches people.

Stars of comedy series I’m Alan Partridge Felicity Montagu, who plays his PA Lynn, Simon Greenall, aka Geordie BP garage worker and Phil Cornwell, who plays DJ Dave Clifton, all make an appearance in the film and also appeared on the red carpet.

Other celebrity guests included Hugh Grant, Al Murray and Rebecca Front.

Alpha Papa earlier had its world premiere in Partridge’s hometown of Norwich. The Norfolk screening was the result of aTwitter campaign dubbed Anglia Square Not Leicester Square.

Partridge said: “This is the real premiere. The Norwich thing was just me throwing a bone to the dogs.

“That was just a tin pot sideshow, frankly.

“But they won’t mind me saying that because they don’t watch national news.”

Steve Coogan, as Alan Partridge, attends the premiere of his new film Alpha Papa at the Hollywood Cinema in Anglia Square, Norwich.