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Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge (TV series)

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For the BBC radio series, see Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge (radio series).

Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge
Knowing Me Knowing You titlescreen
GenreComedy
(spoof chat show)
Created bySteve Coogan
Armando Iannucci
Patrick Marber
StarringSteve Coogan
Steve Brown
Rebecca Front
Patrick Marber
David Schneider
Doon Mackichan
Theme music composerABBA
Opening theme"Knowing Me, Knowing You" by the Steve Brown Band
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes7 including one Christmas special (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerPeter Fincham
ProducerArmando Iannucci
Running time28-32 min
46 min (Christmas Special)
Original release
NetworkBBC2
Release16 September –
21 October 1994
(Christmas Special shown on 29 December 1995)

Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge (also known as Knowing Me Knowing You) is a BBC Television series of six episodes (beginning 16 September 1994), and a Christmas special Knowing Me Knowing Yule on 29 December 1995. It is named after the song "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA (the main character's favourite band), which was used as the show's title music.

Steve Coogan played the incompetent but self-satisfied Norwich-based host, Alan Partridge. Alan was a spin-off character from the spoof radio show On the Hour (which later transferred to TV as The Day Today). Knowing Me Knowing You was written by Coogan, Armando Iannucci (who produced the radio version) and Patrick Marber (who also starred), with contributions from the regular supporting cast of Doon Mackichan, Rebecca Front and David Schneider, who played Alan's weekly guests. Steve Brown provided the show's music and arrangements, and also appeared as Glenn Ponder, the man in charge of the house band (the name of which changed, without explanation, every episode).

The show was a parody of a chat show. It featured a live audience whose laughter meant that viewers could not mistake the show for a real chat show. Alan went on to appear in two series of the sitcom I'm Alan Partridge, following his life after both his marriage and TV career come to an end.

It was generally well received by fans and critics, and was nominated for a BAFTA and a British Comedy Award.

Script and broadcast versions

Some of the guests parodied real life appearances on chat shows. For example, the medical fashion parade by Yvonne Boyd is a reference to Vivienne Westwood's appearance on Wogan.

In total there have been three 'official' versions of the television series prepared by producer Armando Iannucci - the originally transmitted half-hour version (also used in most repeats and abroad), a version extended by roughly five minutes per episode for the VHS and subsequent DVD release, and a version prepared for BBC2's 2002 Partridge repeat season, again in a thirty-minute slot but now featuring reinstated material from the video version (such as Partridge's promotion of the Sprünt drink brand) and a generally tighter edit to compensate for the running time, in addition to the Partridge web address being added to the end credits. In 2013, the latter version was made available for streaming on Netflix.

Episodes

House band Rebecca Front Patrick Marber David Schneider Doon Mackichan Other guests Another Alan
1 Glenn Ponder and Chalet Sue Lewis, a quiet showjumper Keith Hunt, new host of This Is Your Life Big Red Book on This Is Your Life (untransmitted sequence) Shona McGough, an abrasive punk singer Keith's son, Shona's band, Roger Moore (voice; performed by Steve Coogan) -
2 Glenn Ponder and Debonair Tania Beaumont, actress Gary Barker, washed-up actor and Tania's husband Tony LeMesmer, magician - Daniella Forrest, transsexual Playboy columnist (Minnie Driver) A sailor with a facial tic (John Thomson)
3 Glenn Ponder and Ferrari Gina Langland, singer Lawrence Knowles, sleazy promoter Clive Sealy, Lawrence's dermatologist - The Olympic Golden Girls of 1936; Hot Pants, an all-male strip troupe -
4 Glenn Ponder and Savoir Faire Yvonne Boyd, fashion designer with odd ideas Philippe Lambert, famous chef Head of Cirque des Clowns - Nina Vanier, Alan's French co-host (Melanie Hudson) Alain Perdrix, who couldn't speak English
5 Glenn Ponder and Lazarus Charlotte Fraser (Lab) Martin Dwyer, alias Lt. Col. Kojak Slaphead III (Bald Brummies Against The Big-Footed Conspiracy Party) Adrian Finch (Con) - Terry Norton, dodgy boxing promoter (Alan Ford); Five Miss Norwich contestants (Barbara Durkin, plus four uncredited); Ronald Biggs (Lib Dem) (Felix Dexter) Dead, but appeared in a coffin with his family
6 Glenn Ponder and Bangkok Bridie McMahon, lesbian host of the show to take Alan's place Forbes McAllister, cynical restaurant critic for The Spectator Unnamed Police Sergeant Wanda Harvey, Bridie's lesbian co-host The Alan Partridge Playmates; the Maclean brothers, irritating child film-makers; Joe Beazley and Cheeky Monkey, awful ventriloquist act (John Thomson) -
7 Glenn Ponder and his "friend" Andy Mary, a bellringer and devout Christian Gordon Heron, a paralysed former golfer Tony Hayers, Chief Commissioning Editor of BBC Television Liz Heron, Gordon's wife and also a golfer Fanny Thomas, innuendo-using transvestite (Kevin Eldon), Mick Hucknall -

References

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