Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

A recent office discussion on the greatest comedy characters of the last 25 years inspired much heated debate but there was one name we could all agree on, Alan Partridge.

Created by Steve Coogan in 1991 for the BBC Radio 4 comedy programme On The Hour, Partridge has proved an enduring comic creation through three television series, numerous specials and a web series. Now after 22 years, Alan Partridge finally has his own film, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and its release is less than two months away on 7 August. Time to get excited.

Alpha Papa sees the hapless disc jockey caught up in a siege at the North Norfolk Digital radio station where he works and he inexplicably becomes a hostage negotiator for the police. All our favourite characters are involved so there’s absolutely no doubt that hilarity will ensue and box office gold awaits.

As you’d expect from such a brilliantly realised character, Partridge has very distinctive taste in brands, with Rover, Lexus, Bang & Olufsen, Toblerone and Ginsters all getting name-checked in his various shows. It’s also ideal for alcohol brands with the audience predominantly over-18. For any brand with a sense of humour, it’s a great opportunity to get on screen.

It may be a sure-fire hit but TV comedies making the transition to the big screen have seen varying degrees of success over the last few years, ranging from last year’s Keith Lemon: The Movie to the new gold standard, The Inbetweeners Movie in 2011. Below we look at some of the most successful TV to film transitions:

The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) UK Box Office: £45m

A cinematic phenomenon, The Inbetweeners Movie grossed a gargantuan £45m in summer 2011. The series it was based on had proved a huge hit on E4 but nobody could have predicted the success of their first feature length outing. Although the TV show has ended, the writers are working on another feature length which could hit cinemas in 2014.

Borat (2006) UK Box Office: £24.2m

Widely regarded as one of the funniest films of all-time, Sacha Baron Cohen’s character of Borat first appeared in Channel 4’s Da Ali G Show. While Ali G was Baron Cohen’s first character to make it to the big time, it wasn’t until Borat that he struck gold with the line between fiction and documentary blurring to hilarious effect.

Bean (1997) UK Box Office: £18m

The first Bean movie was a worldwide hit, with Rowan Atkinson’s near-mute protagonist entertaining children and adults alike. The film was so successful it spawned a sequel, Mr.Bean’s Holiday in 2007, which was even bigger (£22.4m). Mr.Bean made a brief but memorable comeback at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.

Kevin And Perry Go Large (2000) UK Box Office: £10.5m

Based on the character Kevin The Teenager from BBC sketch show, Harry Enfield’s Television Programme, Kevin And Perry Go Large sees the not-so-dynamic duo go on holiday to Ibiza in an effort to lose their virginity. Harry Enfield was almost forty when he played the 15-year-old Kevin and having now passed fifty, it’s unlikely that we’ll see a sequel any time soon.

In The Loop (2009) UK Box Office: £2.2m

It may not have reached the box office heights of the other films mentioned but the show it was based on, The Thick Of It was more of a cult hit. In The Loop received widespread critical acclaim and its razor sharp script was nominated for an Oscar.

Put your money on Norfolk’s premiere talk-radio disc-jockey joining this illustrious list come August.

The deadline for booking into Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is the 31 July, contact our sales team for more information.