Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge

The show is shot from the perspective of a webcam in the studio of fictional station North Norfolk Digital. In Mid Morning Matters Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) is back working as a disc jockey, after the failure of his television career. He is usually joined by 'Sidekick Simon' (Tim Key) who eventually leaves or is fired due to Alan's gradual dislike towards him. Alan is noticeably annoyed when he discovers that Simon has started guesting as a sidekick on another radio show (Bedtime with Branning). After Simon's departure, Alan recruits a new sidekick, Zoe (Pippa Duffy), and quickly develops a crush on her. In the final part of series one, Zoe reveals she is going travelling for three months, much to Alan's disappointment. Simon returns in series 2.

In August 2010, it was reported that Alan Partridge would make a comeback series online for lager company Foster's.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8957000/8957095.stm | publisher=BBC Norfolk | title=In pictures: Alan Partridge makes internet comeback | date=31 August 2010 }}

On 8 October 2010, it was announced that the new show, entitled Alan Partridge's Mid Morning Matters, would premiere on 5 November 2010 on Foster's comedy site, fostersfunny.co.uk. In a press release, Steve Coogan announced, in character:

"I am delighted to announce that after years as a regional broadcaster on North Norfolk Digital my groundbreaking radio segment, Mid Morning Matters, will now be accessible to a potential audience of billions via the World Wide Web (www).

That it has taken Foster's to help realise my dream of joining the information superhighway is a damning indictment of the established broadcasters whose shabby treatment of me on Sept 10th 2001 was frankly shabby. I made dozens of calls the next day, all of which were ignored.

My appreciation must go to Armando Iannucci and Baby Cow for ignoring the lies, God bless them. In the meantime I look forward to 'hanging out 'n' chillin' with the MySpace generation."{{cite news|url= http://www.fostersfunny.co.uk/2010/10/brand-new-alan-partridge-exclusive-to-fosters/ | work=Foster's Funny | title= Brand New Alan Partridge exclusive to Foster's | date=8 October 2010 | access-date=2010-10-08}} {{dead link|date=April 2013}}

The first six episodes aired online in December 2010, with the remainder released weekly from 4 February 2011 until episode 12 on 11 March 2011. Following the series, Alan appeared again as part of the Red Nose Day 2011 set for a one-off show akin to the Mid Morning Matters arrangement, and here Side-kick Simon reappears in his former capacity.

Following a deal between Baby Cow Productions and BSkyB in November 2011, the first series was broadcast as six 30-minute episodes on Sky Atlantic, despite the public antipathy of Steve Coogan towards media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his former company 21st Century Fox, who at the time owned a controlling 33% of BSkyB, following the News International phone-hacking scandal.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/sep/05/steve-coogan-phone-hacking-interview | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=James | last=Robinson | title=Steve Coogan: Why I won't let News Corp off the hook | date=5 September 2011}} Series two of Mid Morning Matters began airing on Sky Atlantic on 16 February 2016. As with the first series on Sky, series two ran for six 30-minute episodes.

The Telegraph called the show "endlessly creative".{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/02/16/alan-partridges-mid-morning-matters-is-endlessly-creative---revi/ |title=Alan Partridge's Mid-Morning Matters Is Endlessly Creative – Review |last=Hogan |first=Michael |date=16 February 2016 |website=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=15 May 2016}}

{{Episode table |overall= 5|series=5|title=30 |airdate=20 |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| EpisodeNumber2 = 1

| Title = Focus on Cycling

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2010|11|5}}

| ShortSummary = Alan attempts to cycle 10 miles in 30 minutes on an exercise bike.

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| EpisodeNumber2 = 2

| Title = Who Does Alan Think Alan Is?

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2010|11|12}}

| ShortSummary = Alan digs into his ancestry and is upset by the results

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| EpisodeNumber2 = 3

| Title = Simply the Best of Norfolk

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2010|11|19}}

| ShortSummary = The team have a phone-in asking 'what is the best 'thing' '?

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| EpisodeNumber2 = 4

| Title = Wine

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2010|11|26}}

| ShortSummary = Alan reviews a selection of wine, one of which tastes of Chewits

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| EpisodeNumber2 = 5

| Title = Alan's Sad Story

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2010|12|3}}

| ShortSummary = Alan is set up by a rival station and later has to ad-lib a ludicrous story after spilling food on the original that was submitted by a listener.

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| EpisodeNumber2 = 6

| Title = King and Car

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2010|12|10}}

| ShortSummary = The team host a phone in where guests are asked to name what car famous historical characters would drive

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| EpisodeNumber2 = 7

| Title = Partridge on Partridge

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2011|2|4}}

| ShortSummary = Things turn rather sour between Alan and Sidekick Simon after the latter reveals he did some work with another DJ and Alan interviews himself in a typical self grandiose way.

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| EpisodeNumber2 = 8

| Title = North Norfolk Today with Eddie Shepherd and Terri Cohen

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2011|2|11}}

| ShortSummary = Alan fills in for an ill colleague on a current affairs show.

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 9

| EpisodeNumber2 = 9

| Title = Tora Bora Alan

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2011|2|18}}

| ShortSummary = An ex-soldier is a guest on the show and explains how he would deal with radicalised RSPB members in the Wookey Hole caves at Alan's suggestion.

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 10

| EpisodeNumber2 = 10

| Title = Alan Partridge: Out of the Box Thinker

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2011|2|25}}

| ShortSummary = Alan interviews an internet millionaire and sacks Simon after the latter's prank backfires

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 11

| EpisodeNumber2 = 11

| Title = Agony Alan

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2011|3|4}}

| ShortSummary = Zoe joins the team in-place of Simon and Alan is immediately attracted to her.

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 12

| EpisodeNumber2 = 12

| Title = The Man with the Child in His Eyes

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2011|3|11}}

| ShortSummary = Alan continues to try to flirt with Zoe whilst championing Kate Bush

}}

}}

{{Episode table |overall= 5|series=5|title=30 |airdate=20 |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 13

| EpisodeNumber2 = 1

| Title = Foxhunter + Radio Play

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2016|2|16}}

| ShortSummary =

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 14

| EpisodeNumber2 = 2

| Title = Book Club + Dave Clifton

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2016|2|23}}

| ShortSummary =

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 15

| EpisodeNumber2 = 3

| Title = Blackbird + Gangster

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2016|3|1}}

| ShortSummary =

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 16

| EpisodeNumber2 = 4

| Title = Jasper + Chef

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2016|3|8}}

| ShortSummary =

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 17

| EpisodeNumber2 = 5

| Title = Massage + Royal Visit

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2016|3|15}}

| ShortSummary =

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 18

| EpisodeNumber2 = 6

| Title = Grundy + Snow

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|df=yes|2016|3|22}}

| ShortSummary =

}}

}}

The first series of Mid Morning Matters was released on DVD first, in Australia on 1 March 2012 by 2entertain.{{cite web|url=http://shop.abc.net.au/products/alan-partridge-dvd-sr-dot-1 |title=Alan Partridge's Mid Morning Matters Series 1 |publisher=ABC Shop |access-date=18 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504164540/http://shop.abc.net.au/products/alan-partridge-dvd-sr-dot-1 |archive-date=4 May 2013 }} It was released on 12 November 2012 in the UK, also by 2entertain.{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alan-Partridge-Mid-Morning-Matters-DVD/dp/B008EL1FTW/ref=sr_tr_sr_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341525439&sr=8-1 |title=Alan Partridge - Mid-Morning Matters |date=12 November 2012 |publisher=Amazon |access-date=18 April 2013}} The second series was released on DVD in April 2016.

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=1923623|title=Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge}}
• {{British Comedy Guide|tv|alan_partridge_morning_matters|title=Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge}}

{{Alan Partridge}}

{{Armando Iannucci}}

{{Sky Atlantic}}

Category:2010 British television series debuts

Category:2016 British television series endings

Category:2010s British sitcoms

Category:British mockumentary television series

Category:British parody television series

Category:British English-language television shows

Category:Sky Atlantic original programming

Category:Television shows set in Norfolk