Movie - Alpha Papa

OK, I’ve never watched the Steve Coogan TV show but feel I know enough about Alan Partridge via the number of snippets shown on the Jonathan Ross show (the good version, from BBC days), Twitter and going to Norwich.So it wasn’t on my must-see list but it certainly had some very funny moments. I love that it was about radio. I know that’s what the TV show was about but somehow imagined this would take the character out of the radio studio.The film depicts the radio station being taken over by new owners who are looking at firing the older presenters. One takes offence and comes back and holds everybody in the building at gun point, demanding his own show back. Partridge is sent in to defuse the situation.I like that it’s sending up the younger stance taken by commercial radio stations. It reminds me (deliberately, I’m sure) of the time Radio 1 (Wasn’t it Radio One?) changed dramatically with a new controller ousting everyone over 40 and bringing in 20-year-olds who talked about getting drunk with their seleb friends and what a bind it is to empty the dishwasher, whereas the previous presenters actually talked about the music and musicians. Happily Radio 2 fills the gap for grown up chat and 6 Music is all about the music.This film does send up the older presenters too but somehow we still prefer them to the young upstarts as the loyal audience testifies by still ringing in to phone-ins even when the radio station is high jacked by a disgruntled former presenter holding the new owners at gun point.Loved the references to 1980s music and of course the (naff) soundtrack!7½/10Smile factor 9/10Coffee rating Macchiato