Steve Coogan has spoken to Joe.co.uk about his landmark decision to include ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’ and ‘Men Behind the Wire’ on his show ‘This Time with Alan Partridge’ last year The comedian managed to get the rebel song played on BBC One in a counterculture attempt to attack the British Establishment that the character of Partridge embodied, “all the pomposity but none of the intelligence”.
Coogan revealed that he was 95% Irish and was proud of his heritage despite feeling British. He banished any notion of being a “flag waver at Last Night of the Proms” but instead someone that regards British culture and history of dissent being very important, such as not accepting the official line. Coogan acknowledged that the British had ‘stitched up’ the Irish throughout hundreds of years.
“It was fun to get a rebel song on the BBC”, Coogan exclaimed as he was asked just why he had decided to include such a controversial segment to the already acclaimed show.
Coogan portrayed a character on the satirical chat show, resembling The One Show, whereby an Irish farmer comes on as a lookalike for Partridge and enjoys his experience so much that he offers to sing them a song. In explaining what he did, Coogan suggested that it was a bit of an artistic challenge to keep pushing what they could get away with.
How Steve Coogan got Come Out Ye Black and Tans onto the BBC
— Brian Whelan (@brianwhelanhack) February 13, 2020
The segment had viewers in stitches as Partridge looks appalled at his guest’s song choice as do his co-stars Susannah Fielding and Tim Key who look in disbelief as the character and an entourage play the Wolfe Tones hits.
Steve Coogan has made Alan Partridge react nervously and/or shocked, as most brits usually would with the mention of ‘black and tans’, ‘ira’ and ‘men behind the wire’. While also impersonating a man called Martin, an Alan Partridge doppelgänger. That’s one smart comedic cookie pic.twitter.com/jWFlx4UniJ
— Colm Mullan (@whatyoucolm) March 19, 2019
