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| Alan Partridge goes back to Norwich roots for Alpha Papa movie premiere | Alan Partridge goes back to Norwich roots for Alpha Papa movie premiere |
| (3 months later) | |
| Temporarily abjuring the dubious charms of London where, as he once remarked: "I guarantee you'll either be mugged or not appreciated," Norfolk's most celebrated son of light entertainment returned to Norwich to unveil his feature film and reaffirm his love for a city he adores – but definitely not, he was careful to stress, in "an Operation Yewtree way". | Temporarily abjuring the dubious charms of London where, as he once remarked: "I guarantee you'll either be mugged or not appreciated," Norfolk's most celebrated son of light entertainment returned to Norwich to unveil his feature film and reaffirm his love for a city he adores – but definitely not, he was careful to stress, in "an Operation Yewtree way". |
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| The feeling appeared to be mutual: on the redbrick wall of the vacant car park in Anglia Square was a banner to warm the heart of any Lexus-driving, Daily Mail-reading star of the small screen and regional airwaves. "RCP Parking," it gushed, "welcomes Alan Partridge." | The feeling appeared to be mutual: on the redbrick wall of the vacant car park in Anglia Square was a banner to warm the heart of any Lexus-driving, Daily Mail-reading star of the small screen and regional airwaves. "RCP Parking," it gushed, "welcomes Alan Partridge." |
| Indeed, had it not been for the great esteem in which the burghers of the city hold their fictional hero, the premiere of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa could all too easily have been held in the DJ's hated London. But thanks to a Twitter campaign dubbed Anglia Square Not Leicester Square, the first screening of the film took place in Norwich at lunchtime, several hours before the London showing. | Indeed, had it not been for the great esteem in which the burghers of the city hold their fictional hero, the premiere of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa could all too easily have been held in the DJ's hated London. But thanks to a Twitter campaign dubbed Anglia Square Not Leicester Square, the first screening of the film took place in Norwich at lunchtime, several hours before the London showing. |
| The debt did not go unacknowledged by Partridge's creator, Steve Coogan, who took to the red carpet in character and a powder-blue safari suit that could have been looted from Roger Moore's wardrobe circa 1974. "This film is my love letter to Norwich," he told the 1,000 fans who had gathered in the brutalist splendour of the square to catch a glimpse of the man who pioneered the concept of monkey tennis. | The debt did not go unacknowledged by Partridge's creator, Steve Coogan, who took to the red carpet in character and a powder-blue safari suit that could have been looted from Roger Moore's wardrobe circa 1974. "This film is my love letter to Norwich," he told the 1,000 fans who had gathered in the brutalist splendour of the square to catch a glimpse of the man who pioneered the concept of monkey tennis. |
| "The people have spoken in the biggest petition since the clinic started handing out johnnies to 13-year-olds," he said, adding that the film's £4m budget would otherwise have gone on a new antenatal unit or to Help for Heroes. | "The people have spoken in the biggest petition since the clinic started handing out johnnies to 13-year-olds," he said, adding that the film's £4m budget would otherwise have gone on a new antenatal unit or to Help for Heroes. |
| Asked where Norwich had the edge over the capital, he replied: "A lot of flat landscape, the Wash, reclaimed land: these are things that London doesn't have and will never have." Partridge went on to explain that his favourite location during filming had been Cromer pier – for obvious reasons: "I've been to Blackpool Pier, Brighton Pier, Southend Pier – but Cromer is quite simply the best pier." | Asked where Norwich had the edge over the capital, he replied: "A lot of flat landscape, the Wash, reclaimed land: these are things that London doesn't have and will never have." Partridge went on to explain that his favourite location during filming had been Cromer pier – for obvious reasons: "I've been to Blackpool Pier, Brighton Pier, Southend Pier – but Cromer is quite simply the best pier." |
| Bouncing back to Norwich, he said, felt "like sitting in a warm bath whilst having a cup of cocoa and peanut butter on toast whilst watching Air Crash Investigation on a TV; it feels good". | Bouncing back to Norwich, he said, felt "like sitting in a warm bath whilst having a cup of cocoa and peanut butter on toast whilst watching Air Crash Investigation on a TV; it feels good". |
| Vis-à-vis the premiere venue, he said he knew he could trust Norfolk police to protect him from any snipers with their sights trained on the red carpet. | Vis-à-vis the premiere venue, he said he knew he could trust Norfolk police to protect him from any snipers with their sights trained on the red carpet. |
| The presenter and DJ also found time to share his reaction to the birth of the Prince of Cambridge – "We should be proud that the baby was not only born on the same day as Bonnie Langford and Danny Glover from the Lethal Weapons films, but also the 10th anniversary of the death of Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, so it's a double celebration." | The presenter and DJ also found time to share his reaction to the birth of the Prince of Cambridge – "We should be proud that the baby was not only born on the same day as Bonnie Langford and Danny Glover from the Lethal Weapons films, but also the 10th anniversary of the death of Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, so it's a double celebration." |
| He also offered tips to would-be broadcasters: "Speak first before you think. Never leave any dead air – that's the biggest crime of all. It doesn't matter what you're saying or whether you're thinking about anything at all." | He also offered tips to would-be broadcasters: "Speak first before you think. Never leave any dead air – that's the biggest crime of all. It doesn't matter what you're saying or whether you're thinking about anything at all." |
| Rob Wilkes, who masterminded the social media campaign to bring the film to Norwich with his friend Rafiq Turnbull, said he was more than pleased with its success. "It all started online on a Wednesday night and became this organic beast that everybody else has capitalised on," he said. "VisitNorwich told us they've had a massive increase in people contacting them and wanting to visit the city on the back of this." | Rob Wilkes, who masterminded the social media campaign to bring the film to Norwich with his friend Rafiq Turnbull, said he was more than pleased with its success. "It all started online on a Wednesday night and became this organic beast that everybody else has capitalised on," he said. "VisitNorwich told us they've had a massive increase in people contacting them and wanting to visit the city on the back of this." |
| The campaign caught the eye of the film's producers, who were quick to spot and exploit the potential of a double premiere. | The campaign caught the eye of the film's producers, who were quick to spot and exploit the potential of a double premiere. |
| A fortnight ago, they responded to Wilkes and Turnbull's pleas with a press release from Partridge himself. | A fortnight ago, they responded to Wilkes and Turnbull's pleas with a press release from Partridge himself. |
| "You can imagine how hurt and litigious I felt when people said I was planning to debut my movie in London instead of Norwich, or that I'd allowed my head to be turned by the prospect of big city fame," it read. "Any suggestion I've hastily cobbled together the lunchtime Norwich screening in response to a local Twitter campaign will be met with the full force of the law."The film sees Partridge, now working on North Norfolk Digital radio, forced to become a hostage negotiator after a siege breaks out at the station. | "You can imagine how hurt and litigious I felt when people said I was planning to debut my movie in London instead of Norwich, or that I'd allowed my head to be turned by the prospect of big city fame," it read. "Any suggestion I've hastily cobbled together the lunchtime Norwich screening in response to a local Twitter campaign will be met with the full force of the law."The film sees Partridge, now working on North Norfolk Digital radio, forced to become a hostage negotiator after a siege breaks out at the station. |
| Its director, Declan Lowney – who describes Alpha Papa as "a lot of fun, a lot of danger and some heavy kissing" – said Norwich was the perfect choice for the premiere. "I don't think you get this sort of warmth in Leicester Square – there's a lot of love for Alan," he said. "He is a positive voice for Norfolk and I think people here get it." | Its director, Declan Lowney – who describes Alpha Papa as "a lot of fun, a lot of danger and some heavy kissing" – said Norwich was the perfect choice for the premiere. "I don't think you get this sort of warmth in Leicester Square – there's a lot of love for Alan," he said. "He is a positive voice for Norfolk and I think people here get it." |
| Among the fans who descended on the city – some resplendent in sports casual wear, one bearing the kind of huge plate that helped Partridge abuse the hospitality of the Travel Tavern's breakfast buffet, and two female students who held a sign reading "I love you … in a way" – was Andy O'Neil. | Among the fans who descended on the city – some resplendent in sports casual wear, one bearing the kind of huge plate that helped Partridge abuse the hospitality of the Travel Tavern's breakfast buffet, and two female students who held a sign reading "I love you … in a way" – was Andy O'Neil. |
| As his sign explained, the 29-year-old fan had driven 171 miles from Derby to meet the legend. "I just find him very funny and liked the fact he was holding this event in Norwich," said O'Neil. | As his sign explained, the 29-year-old fan had driven 171 miles from Derby to meet the legend. "I just find him very funny and liked the fact he was holding this event in Norwich," said O'Neil. |
| Nor was he in the least disappointed with what he found. In an aperçu that would have delighted his hero and which could be adopted by the city's tourism office as its new slogan, he added: "Norwich seems nice – it was definitely worth the journey." | Nor was he in the least disappointed with what he found. In an aperçu that would have delighted his hero and which could be adopted by the city's tourism office as its new slogan, he added: "Norwich seems nice – it was definitely worth the journey." |
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