Steve Coogan as Tommy Saxondale
Credit: BBC
In Alan Partridge’s Noughties wilderness – the years between his failed bouncing back, seen in the 2002 series I’m Alan Partridge, and his more empathetic return, which began with 2010’s Mid Morning Matters and continues with the new series of This Time – another of Steve Coogan’s creations rode into town (well, Stevenage).
He arrived in a Boss 351 Mustang, rocking a pair of Wrangler ProRodeo jeans and Dunlop green flash pumps. All hail Tommy Saxondale, roadie to the guitar gods-turned-pest control operative and free-thinking wisdom-imparter.
Tommy was also the star of his own BBC Two sitcom, Saxondale, co-written by Coogan and Neil MacLennan, which ran for two series in 2006 and 2007. As with some of Coogan’s other characters – the Portuguese heartthrob Tony Ferrino; spoof horror anthology host Dr. Terrible; and the motley crew of characters from Coogan’s Run – Saxondale is perhaps overshadowed by the sheer comedi