Steve Coogan

From seeing just the first episode it seems unlikely Saxondale is going to capture the public imagination in the way Alan Partridge, or even Paul Calf did, But there was enough in this episode to warrant further viewings.

While the script, direction and characterisation are all borderline holy in their perfection, it ignores the fact that, at this stage of his career, rather than let him languish on the "third best slot on Radio Norwich", the producers of The Entertainers would have dropped Sayer like a shot for a pop at Partridge.

Viewed in an utterly contemporary context, the new series of I'm Alan Partridge looks curiously dated. Recording it on video and including an audience laughter track flies in the face of recent comedy tradition.

Calf shone when he first appeared on The Saturday Zoo (admittedly that wasn't hard - even Pickety Witch would have brought the house down on that show) but, unlike Harry Enfield's characters - which are often amusing on their first outing, but seldom evolve - Calf proved that Coogan's creations are alive, and capable of interaction and development.