In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Coogan delved into some his inspirations. He picked out Armando Iannucci, (who helped Coogan create Alan Partridge) British comedian Stewart Lee, Monty Python, Bob Newhart and Shelley Berman and The Goons. He also mentions watching Fawlty Towers as a child with his family, and being in awe over the fact that he, and his siblings, and his older parents all the found the same bits uproariously funny. That is the pinnacle of my childhood television experience... I remember being aware that my parents and I might have different tastes, but were all laughing at the same thing. Different generations all laughing at the same thing. And I remember thinking, Wow, that would be amazing - what an amazing thing to do, to make people laugh And he went away and achieved this dream with Alan Partridge, which appeals to a wide variety of ages.
I love Stephen King and music festivals; I eat my toast upside down; I daydream about getting married probably a bit too much; and I wish every day for a pet sausage dog puppy (who never materialises – sob).
