TV listings | Alan’s back!

The pathos of an entertainer unable to leave behind his most popular creation is one worthy of the finest Greek tragedy. And they don’t come more gut-wrenching than Steve Coogan and the apparent stranglehold Alan Partridge has had over his career.

Because as many minor Hollywood films as this subtly brilliant comic genius makes, and as many new TV characters he creates, he’s always there – it’s an uncomfortable relationship that Coogan openly acknowledges, reaping tremendous comic mileage out of in The Trip.

Alan Partridge’s Mid-Morning Matters is a radio version of his TV chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You from the mid-1990s – a return to a winning formula that makes good sense given how stale Partridge’s life had become outside the studio. While the first series of I’m Alan Partridge (1997) was one of the best sitcoms of the 1990s, the second (2002) was a tired affair – not dissimilar to the Partridge autobiography, which will be made into a film later this year.

Also poignant, and probably heading for the cinema, is the story of David Headley, the half-Pakistani, half-American who scouted the key targets of the 2008 Mumbai attacks that left 164 dead, and a year later visited the Jyllands-Posten offices in Copenhagen on a similar mission. The perfect terrorist (DR2, Wed 23:00) reveals how it failed.

More terror is inflicted in The Slap (SV2, Sun 20:00), an eight-episode series set in Melbourne, where a grown man’s unwise decision to hit a child is told from the perspective of eight different characters, each time revealing a little bit more.  

Elsewhere, 2011 mixed martial arts doc Fightville (DR2, Tue 20:40) has been panned by the critics despite a promising premise; watch the Alan Carr: Chatty Man Xmas 2012 special (BBC Ent, Sat 23:05) just weeks after its UK screening; there’s another chance to see the acclaimed Carlos (DRK, Sat 12:25) and the doc President Reagan (DRK, ep1: Fri 16:30, ep2: Thu 21:00); don’t miss the third season of The Big C (SV1, Sun 22:50); and sit back and enjoy Man United vs Liverpool (K6, Sun 14:00) followed by Arsenal vs Man City – a belting afternoon of Premiership action this Sunday afternoon.

See this week's full TV listings on page 20 of our InOut section





  • More internationals are leaving Denmark, and retention rates are declining

    More internationals are leaving Denmark, and retention rates are declining

    Figures for 2024 from Statistics Denmark show that the main issues faced by internationals in Denmark remain unaddressed. The number of people leaving the country last year increased and is now close to an all-time high.

  • A human touch can keep Europe’s elderly in the labor market

    A human touch can keep Europe’s elderly in the labor market

    In many European countries, the older generations are on the verge of retirement. In Northern Europe, companies and organizations are better than elsewhere in Europe at getting seniors to work after retirement age. Some simple tools seem to work

  • Copenhagen ranked 4th for career growth

    Copenhagen ranked 4th for career growth

    Copenhagen is ranked as the fourth-best city in the world for career growth, according to an analysis by EnjoyTravel. This ranking considers various factors such as living costs, salary levels, workforce availability, and overall quality of life. Copenhagen is noted for its blend of historical and modern elements, particularly in the green energy sector, which influences job opportunities.