Steve Coogan Opens Up: Penguin Movies, Starmer Disappointment, and the Unshakable Appeal of Alan Partridge

The Reluctant Penguin Whisperer

Steve Coogan, the man who brought the painfully awkward Alan Partridge to life, has done something he never imagined: he made a penguin movie. “I had no burning desire to do a f—king penguin movie,” he admits with a wry smile. Sitting in a Soho hotel drawing room, the 59-year-old actor looks relaxed, tan, and clad in a fresh green suit. It’s a far cry from the antsy comic we’ve come to expect.

The Penguin Lessons, based on Tom Michell’s 2015 memoir, sees Coogan playing a cynical English teacher in 1970s Argentina who finds redemption through a Magellanic penguin named Juan Salvador. “Cynical bloke meets Judi Dench, becomes uncynical at the end – but switch Judi Dench for a penguin,” he jokes, referencing his Oscar-nominated Philomena.

A Political Animal Wading Into Uncharted Waters

Coogan’s politics are famously left-wing, but he doesn’t shy from criticizing the current Labour government. “The one thing Margaret Thatcher did was offer a clear ideology – that’s not Keir Starmer,” he declares. He calls Starmer a pragmatist who has lost the sincerity that once defined him. “Populism is the fault of the centre-ground politics, the failure to deliver for those people,” he adds.

Despite his activist history – supporting Extinction Rebellion, campaigning against arms sales to Israel – Coogan is surprisingly chipper. He’s learned that “you get more comfortable in your own skin” as you age. And he’s never been busier, with a new Partridge series, a fifth season of The Trip in the works, and a West End run as Dr. Strangelove behind him.

Alan Partridge: The Trojan Horse of Comedy

Over three decades, Alan Partridge has evolved from a reactionary radio host into a Cameron-esque figure: “socially progressive but economically conservative.” Coogan sees his alter ego as a way to explore controversial topics safely. “There’s no such thing as a no-go area in comedy,” he insists. The upcoming BBC mockumentary How Are You? With Alan Partridge tackles mental health – a topic Coogan calls “an incendiary device” that, if defused correctly, yields hilarious results.

Partridge’s longevity is a superpower. “People feel like Partridge is theirs,” Coogan explains. “You can explore topics that would normally be off-piste.” He even admits that the character is merging with him: “One morning I got to my trailer and there was a checked shirt for Partridge identical to the one I was wearing. The singularity has happened.”

The Personal Price of Fame

Coogan’s history with the press is complicated. He was a key witness at the Leveson Inquiry after a “sociopathic sting” by the News of the World. He notes that Rupert Murdoch “has never had to have his day in court” because of unlimited funds. “When you have unlimited funds, you can buy your way out of justice,” Coogan states, adding that he accepted settlements but only after feeling pressured not to lose his house.

Now, at 60, he’s more protective of his private life. His daughter Clare, a chef and food stylist, is in a relationship with actor Jamie Demetriou. Coogan has been sober for years but doesn’t regret his wilder days. “The most interesting people are people who partied once, rather than people who’ve never partied,” he says. He’s found peace in Lewes, East Sussex, where he was one of the last to get the Covid vaccine because he was “one of the youngest people in Lewes.”

What’s Next for the Comedy Legend?

With The Penguin Lessons hitting theaters and another Partridge series imminent, Coogan shows no signs of slowing down. He’s also working on a fifth series of The Trip with Rob Brydon, though he won’t spill details. “I don’t want to be rapped on the knuckles,” he jokes. But he does offer a glimpse into his late-era philosophy: “As you get older, you’re less bothered by what people think of you. I don’t do social media. I don’t need to know if someone’s slagging me off.”

Steve Coogan has come a long way from cleaning vegetable crates at Sainsbury’s. He’s learned that happiness isn’t about avoiding the absurd – it’s about embracing it, even if that means starring in a penguin movie. After all, as he discovered on set, sometimes the most unlikely creatures teach the most important lessons.

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