Thom Meets Alan Partridge

Alan Partridge is one of the greatest creations in TV history. The socially awkward TV presenter/local DJ has become almost the only thing Steve Coogan is known for (in this country at least) and if that is his legacy, I'd be damn proud.

So when the unbelievable news came in via his Twitter page (@ThisIsPartridge if you're not following him, and it's worth it just for the hilarious list of demands he laid out for the signing) that he would be doing a book signing in the Norwich branch of Waterstones to support the release of Partridge autobiography 'I Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan', I knew I had to be there!

I always thought Steve Coogan wanted to try and distance himself from his most famous creation so it made it even more surprising was that Coogan was going to be doing the signing IN CHARACTER!

When I arrived the queue was already well down the street, and by the time that people started to go in, it stretched as far as the eye could see, around 400 people if the press was to be believed.

The proceedings were to start with an unadvertised reading of several passages from the book, but while we waited we were treated to some of Alan's favourite songs (which can be found in the book), including 'Alone' by Heart, 'The Winner Takes It All' by ABBA, and 'Knights In White Satin' by The Moody Blues. Lovely stuff.

Then, the man himself emerged via the escalator and let rip a heart "A-HA!" and read some excerpts from his book which were hilarious. If the rest of the book is as funny as what he read to us, we are in for a treat.



After the reading, Alan donned a surgical glove (so he wouldn't catch a disease from an unknown attendee, of course) and began the signing. As we watched him pose for photo after photo (something I didn't think he'd actually do), we just couldn't stop laughing at the facial mannerisms he was pulling. Seriously could have watched him do that all night.

Soon, it was time to meet the man himself, and as he greeted me - "Hello, Thom with an 'H'", I just started laughing, but composed myself enough for a photo and to thank him and shake his gloved hand.



It was a fantastic evening, and I'm looking very much forward to starting the book. And very possibly seeing myself on TV at some point, it was being taped!