Alan Partridge makes epic TV return as BBC shares first look at This Time series 2

ALAN Partridge is back for a second season of This Time – but the ties and jackets are now gone and have been replaced with casual flannel shirts and fleece jackets.

The BBC has dropped the first look at the upcoming new series, and its see Steve Coogan as Alan with his on-screen co-presenter Jennie looking out into the distance in front of the BBC building.

The popular character returned to TV screens last year after more than a decade as Alan landed a presenting role on a current affairs show with the BBC.

Steve – who writes the show with collaborators Neil and Rob Gibbons – revealed earlier in 2020 how the second season of This Time would take a different format to the first one.

He said: “We’re trying to set ourselves a task of having the stuff on-screen [with the chat show] and then have a kind of parallel unseen story that we get glimpses of.

“This parallel narrative of what’s going on in [Alan’s] private life and Jennie, his co-presenter’s, private life.”

Speaking to Digital Spy, the 54-year-old comedian shared: “And then, sort of, have those two things go parallel.

“We haven’t quite realised where it goes but we want it to end up in a strange and unexpected place. That’s all I can say.”

He shared that they had even more plans for the characters though, adding: “Then, after that, we’re going to do some sort of documentary series.

“We’ll definitely do a documentary series where Alan is on the road.”

A logline for the new series reveals that it will follow “Alan on air and off as he tries to cling on to his position, in the face of behind-the-scenes upheaval and Alan’s fears that his relevance is dwindling.”