Alan Partridge: Big Beacon

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Using an innovative ‘dual narrative’ structure you sometimes see in films, Big Beacon tells the story of how Partridge heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits. Not only has Alan Partridge created an entirely new storytelling structure, it’s very funny indeed.” Jon Ronson The two strands will run in tandem, their narrative arcs mirroring each other to make the parallels between the two stories abundantly clear to the less able listener. They’re undiluted Alan, the perfect way to explore the full unreliable narrator comic potential of his complex psyche. Leaving his old life behind and relocating to a small coastal village in Kent, Alan battles through adversity, wins the hearts and minds of a suspicious community, and ultimately shows himself to be a quite wonderful man.

But then something quite unexpected and moving happens, because Big Beacon also tells the story of a selfless man, driven to restore an old lighthouse to its former glory, motivated by nothing more than respect for a quietly heroic old building that many take for granted, which some people think is a metaphor for Alan himself even though it's not really for them to say.* Penned with the help of Neil Gibbons, Rob Gibbons and Steve Coogan, the memoir will relate how Partridge "heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits. Using an innovative 'dual narrative' structure you sometimes see in films, Big Beacon tells the story of how Partridge heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits. Published by Seven Dials on 12th October, the book reveals how "Norwich's favourite son and best broadcaster" triumphed "against the odds. TWICE."

Using an innovative ‘dual narrative’ structure you sometimes see in films, Big Beacontells the story of how Partridge heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits. In Big Beacon, Norwich's favourite son and best broadcaster, Alan Partridge, triumphs against the odds. TWICE. Using an innovative 'dual narrative' structure you sometimes see in films, Big Beacon tells the story of how Partridge heroically rebuilt his TV career, rising like a phoenix from the desolate wasteland of local radio to climb to the summit of Mount Primetime and regain the nationwide prominence his talent merits. Irrespective of his recent career boost, he remains uncomfortably C-list, and weekends are spent enduring garden barbecues at Esther McVey’s house, where he shares cooked meat and passive aggression with Andrew Castle and Gary Barlow. He also spends some time in Qatar with disgraced former Sky TV football pundit Richard “Hairy Hands” Keys. Journalist, presenter, broadcaster, husband, father, vigorous all-rounder – Alan Partridge – a man with a fascinating past and an amazing future. Gregarious and popular, yet Alan’s never happier than when relaxing in his own five-bedroom, south-built house with three acres of land and access to a private stream. But who is this mysterious enigma?

Leaving his old life behind and relocating to a small coastal village in Kent, Alan battles through adversity, wins the hearts and minds of a suspicious community, and ultimately shows himself to be a quite wonderful man." In Big Beacon, Norwich's favourite son and best broadcaster, Alan Partridge, triumphs against the odds. TWICE.But then something quite unexpected and moving, because Big Beaconalso tells the story of a selfless man, driven to restore an old lighthouse to its former glory, motivated by nothing more than respect for a quietly heroic old building that many take for granted, which some people think is a metaphor for Alan himself even though it’s not really for them to say.* The book is, at this point as good as it could be, pretty much an anthology of shorter stories (I'd explain what a vignette is, but the listener may be hot, tired or Greek) combined into what's likely to be the last of the Partridge books. There are occasional moments of brilliance here, but not enough to justify another listen. There's also a lot of repetition (quite literally) as well as a few missed opportunities to really take the character somewhere interesting. Armando Ianucci's influence is sorely missed: there's just not enough of the ludicrous confrontation that used to define the character, nor the sheer joy that banality brought to Partridge (fainting at the prospect of a Burtons gold card, or spending the evening praising the action of a CD player lid).

Alan Partridge is undoubtedly one of the greatest characters in the annals of British comedy. Over the last 32 years, Steve Coogan and his collaborators have created a richly textured inner and exterior life for the oft-thwarted Norfolk-based broadcaster, hence why fictional self-authored books such as Big Beacon – his third volume of memoirs – work so beautifully. Alan Partridge is publishing a third volume of memoirs, British Comedy Guide can exclusively reveal. Big Beacon employs a straightforward dual narrative technique, which Partridge naturally regards as an innovation (he spends most of the prologue needlessly explaining how it works).

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Last month, Audible announced it had commissioned a third series of From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast. Alan Gordon Partridge is the best – and best-loved – radio presenter in the region. Born into a changing world of rationing, Teddy Boys, apes in space and the launch of ITV, Alan’s broadcasting career began as chief DJ of Radio Smile at St. Luke’s Hospital in Norwich. After replacing Peter Flint as the presenter of Scout About, he entered the top 8 of BBC sports presenters.

I've watched and listened to the entire Alan Partridge catalogue and the earlier shows/books literally had me crying with laughter all the way through. Unfortunately, this book, and the most recent podcast barely triggered an occasional smile. The two strands will run in tandem, their narrative arcs mirroring each other to make the parallels betwe Big Beacon is Partridge's third autobiography, following 2011's I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan and 2016's Nomad. It seems that Steve is disengaged from the character of Alan and it no longer feels like the same character. The original charm and authenticity is gone and what's left is an empty narrative. In Big Beacon, Norwich’s favourite son and best broadcaster, Alan Partridge, triumphs against the odds. TWICE.The two strands will run in tandem, their narrative arcs mirroring each other to make the parallels between the two stories abundantly clear to the less able reader. But then something quite unexpected and moving, because Big Beacon also tells the story of a selfless man, driven to restore an old lighthouse to its former glory, motivated by nothing more than respect for a quietly heroic old building that many take for granted, which some people think is a metaphor for Alan himself even though it's not really for them to say.* Leaving his old life behind and relocating to a small coastal village in Kent, Alan battles through adversity, wins the hearts and minds of a suspicious community, and ultimately shows himself to be a quite wonderful man. But then something quite unexpected and moving, because Big Beacon also tells the story of a selfless man, driven to restore an old lighthouse to its former glory, motivated by nothing more than respect for a quietly heroic old building that many take for granted, which some people think is a metaphor for Alan himself even though it’s not really for them to say.* This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income. To support our work buy a copy!