Steve Coogan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Coogan
Coogan in 2017
Born	Stephen John Coogan (1965-10-14) 14 October 1965 (age 59) Middleton, Lancashire, England
Citizenship	United Kingdom Ireland
Education	Manchester Metropolitan University (BA)
Occupation	Actor comedian screenwriter producer
Years active	1988–present
Title	Co-founder and creative director of Baby Cow Productions
Spouse(s)	Caroline Hickman ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2005)​
Partner(s)	Anna Cole (1992–1996)
Children	1
Relatives	Brendan Coogan (brother) Martin Coogan (brother) Aidan McArdle (cousin)

Stephen John Coogan (born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He has won many awards, including four BAFTA Awards and three British Comedy Awards. He was also nominated for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. He is most famous for his character Alan Partridge, a media personality who often says the wrong thing. Coogan created Alan Partridge with Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris for shows like On the Hour (1991–1992) and The Day Today (1994). Alan Partridge has appeared in TV series such as I'm Alan Partridge (1997–2002) and the movie Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013).

Coogan started his career in the 1980s. He did voice acting for the puppet show Spitting Image and for TV commercials. He became more well-known in movies after starring in The Parole Officer and 24 Hour Party People in 2002. He also appeared in films like Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and the Night at the Museum movies (2006–2014). Other films include Tropic Thunder (2008), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), and Ruby Sparks (2012). He co-starred as himself with Rob Brydon in A Cock and Bull Story (2005) and the BBC series The Trip (2010), The Trip to Italy (2014), The Trip to Spain (2017), and The Trip to Greece (2020). These "Trip" series were also made into films.

In 1999, Coogan started a production company called Baby Cow Productions with Henry Normal. In 2013, he helped write, produce, and star in the movie Philomena. This film earned him nominations at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Academy Awards. He was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. Coogan has also played serious roles in films like Marie Antoinette (2006) and What Maisie Knew (2012). For his role as Stan Laurel in Stan & Ollie (2018), he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He also received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for playing Jimmy Savile in the BBC drama The Reckoning (2023).

Early Life and Education

Stephen John Coogan was born on 14 October 1965 in Middleton, Lancashire. His mother, Kathleen, was a housewife, and his father, Anthony, was an engineer. He has four brothers and one sister. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family that valued education. His older brother Martin is a musician, and his younger brother Brendan is a TV presenter.

Coogan's mother is from County Mayo, Ireland. His father was born in Manchester to Irish parents who moved there before the First World War. Coogan has said he had a happy childhood. His parents also fostered children for short periods.

Coogan went to St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School and Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School. He passed his O-levels in 1983 and A-levels in 1984. His sister became a teacher. Coogan, however, wanted to go to drama school because he was good at impersonations. After trying five times, he got into the Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama. There, he met John Thomson, who he would work with later.

Career Highlights

Becoming Famous with Alan Partridge

Coogan as Alan Partridge signing copies of his spoof autobiography

Coogan started as a comedian and impressionist. He also did voice work for TV ads and the puppet show Spitting Image. In 1992, he won the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with John Thomson. They also starred in a sketch show called The Dead Good Show.

During this time, Coogan created characters like Paul Calf, a typical working-class man from Manchester. He also played Paul's sister, Pauline. While working on the Radio 4 comedy On the Hour, Coogan created Alan Partridge. Partridge was a funny take on British sports presenters. Coogan described Partridge as someone with old-fashioned views and bad taste. He often said awkward things and thought he was more important than he was.

In 1992, Partridge got his own Radio 4 show, Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge. On the Hour became a TV show called The Day Today in 1994. Then came the TV version of Knowing Me, Knowing You. In 1997, Coogan starred as Partridge in the BBC sitcom I'm Alan Partridge. This show followed Partridge's life working at a small radio station. It won two BAFTAs. A second series followed in 2002.

After I'm Alan Partridge, Coogan wanted to do other things. He limited Partridge to smaller roles. He said he didn't want to say goodbye to Partridge, but wanted a good balance with his other work. Critics have praised Partridge for being complex and realistic. Vanity Fair called him a British "national treasure." Guardian said he was "one of the greatest and most beloved comic creations." Partridge is known for influencing "cringe comedies". In 2001, a poll by Channel 4 voted Partridge seventh on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.

Partridge at the Hollywood Cinema

Paul Calf first became known in 1993 on Saturday Zoo. Paul has appeared in video diaries and an episode of Coogan's Run. He is an unemployed man from Manchester who dislikes students. Paul lives with his mother and sister, Pauline Calf (also played by Coogan). Pauline Calf's Wedding Video won a BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy in 1995.

Other characters Coogan created include Tommy Saxondale and Tony Ferrino. In 1999, Coogan and his writing partner Henry Normal started Baby Cow Productions. They have produced many shows like The Mighty Boosh, Gavin & Stacey, and the Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa movie. Coogan has also voiced characters in animated series like I Am Not an Animal.

Film Roles and Stand-up Comedy

In 2003, Coogan starred in The Private Life of Samuel Pepys. He also played Factory Records boss Tony Wilson in the film 24 Hour Party People (2002). In 2006, he had a small role in the Little Britain Christmas special.

Coogan has played himself in films. In 2003, he appeared in Jim Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes with Alfred Molina. In 2006, he starred with Rob Brydon in A Cock and Bull Story. In this film, Coogan plays a fictional version of himself. The first film Coogan co-wrote with Henry Normal was The Parole Officer. He also had a small, uncredited role in Hot Fuzz. He played Octavius, a miniature Roman general, in the Night at the Museum trilogy. In 2007, Coogan played a psychiatrist on Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In March 2008, Coogan announced his first stand-up comedy tour in ten years. The tour was called "Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge and other less successful characters." It brought back characters like Paul Calf and Alan Partridge. Reviews for the early shows were mixed, but they improved as the tour went on. The Times called it "twice as entertaining as most other comedy shows."

In 2008, BBC Worldwide bought a share in Baby Cow Productions. In 2009, Coogan was featured in the TV film Steve Coogan – The Inside Story. He also spoke about how Monty Python influenced his comedy in the documentary Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut).

The Trip and Philomena

Coogan (left) and Rob Brydon at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival

In 2010, Coogan worked again with Brydon and Michael Winterbottom on the BBC2 sitcom The Trip. In this show, he and Brydon tour restaurants in northern England. This was followed by The Trip to Italy (2014), The Trip to Spain (2017), and The Trip to Greece (2020). He also worked with director Winterbottom in The Look of Love (2013).

Alan Partridge returned in 2010 with short films called Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge. This was followed by spoof memoirs I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan (2011) and Nomad (2016). The feature film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa came out in 2013, along with several TV specials. Coogan said that Alpha Papa was the hardest he had ever worked on.

Coogan produced, co-wrote, and co-starred in the drama film Philomena (2013). He played journalist Martin Sixsmith, who helps Philomena Lee (played by Judi Dench) find her son. The film was highly praised and did well financially. The Variety critic Justin Chang said Coogan was "especially good." Coogan won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and a Venice Film Festival award for Best Screenplay. He was also nominated for two Academy Awards. The film received four Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture. Coogan's autobiography, Easily Distracted, was published in October 2015.

Coogan (left) with Stephen Frears at a screening for Philomena

In 2016, Christine Langan became the new CEO of Baby Cow Productions. This led to BBC Worldwide increasing its share in the company. Langan has produced many Baby Cow shows, including Camping and Stan & Ollie.

Coogan played comedian Stan Laurel in the 2018 film Stan & Ollie. He starred alongside American actor John C. Reilly, who played Oliver Hardy. Critics praised Coogan's performance. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter said Coogan "slips neatly into the role." He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In 2019, Partridge returned to the BBC with This Time with Alan Partridge. This show was a spoof of magazine shows. An Audible podcast, From the Oasthouse, followed in 2020.

Recent Work

In April 2022, Coogan started an Alan Partridge tour called Stratagem. A Guardian review noted that Coogan now enjoys playing Partridge. Coogan starred in the 2022 film The Lost King. He played the husband of writer Philippa Langley, who found the bones of King Richard III.

Coogan played Jimmy Savile in the BBC One series The Reckoning (2023). Coogan said playing Savile was a serious decision. He felt the story, though difficult, needed to be told. Critics mostly praised Coogan's performance. He was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. Coogan appeared in the 2024 film Joker: Folie à Deux as Paddy Meyers, a TV personality.

Filming for the next Partridge project, Alan Partridge: How Are You?, began in early 2024. Coogan is also starring in a London stage version of the 1964 film Dr. Strangelove. The play opened on 8 October 2024.

Public Image and Privacy

Coogan at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival

Coogan has said he likes to keep his life private. He added that he never wanted to be famous, but that fame is a side effect of his job. He has been in British tabloid newspapers since 1996. He has said that these newspapers have tried to trick him and print false stories. They have also targeted his family and friends to get stories.

Coogan has criticized the press for intruding on his private life. He said that the press has made him "immune" to further attacks because he has nothing left to hide.

Press Regulation and Privacy

Coogan supports changes and rules for the British press. He became a key figure in the News International phone hacking scandal. He was one of the famous people who took action against British tabloids. He found out in 2005 and 2006 that there might have been issues with his phone.

In 2010, Coogan's legal team got a copy of a notebook from Glenn Mulcaire, who was involved in phone hacking. This notebook showed that Coogan had been targeted. Mulcaire was later forced to reveal who at the News of the World newspaper told him to hack phones. Coogan's lawyers got this information on 26 August 2011.

In an interview on Newsnight on 8 July 2011, Coogan said he was happy about the closure of the News of the World. He called it a "fantastic day for journalism." He said that the idea of press freedom was sometimes used to sell papers with gossip. Coogan gave an eight-page statement to the Leveson Inquiry, which looked into press ethics. He appeared at the inquiry on 22 November 2011. He said he was speaking for many celebrities who were afraid to speak out.

In March 2021, Coogan said that the tabloid press is controlled by a few wealthy people. He added that anyone who challenges the press is attacked. He also commented on how Meghan Markle and Harry were treated. He said it was because they didn't follow the "golden rule" of leaving the press alone.

Personal Life

In 1993, Coogan lived in Didsbury. He later lived in Ovingdean Grange in East Sussex until 2017. As of 2022, Coogan lives in Barcombe, East Sussex.

Coogan married Caroline Hickman in 2002, and they divorced in 2005. He has a daughter from a previous relationship with a solicitor named Anna Cole. Although he was raised Catholic, Coogan is now an atheist.

He enjoys cars and has owned several Ferraris. In February 2016, he was fined and banned from driving for speeding in Brighton. In August 2019, he received a shorter ban for another speeding offense. This was because his next TV series depended on him being able to drive. In February 2025, he again received a shorter ban for speeding. This was to avoid affecting the filming of a new series of The Trip.

Coogan has spoken about his mental health. He described himself as "half-Irish" in 2020. He was granted an Irish passport in March 2023.

Political Views

Coogan has supported the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party. He believes the Conservative Party looks down on ordinary people. In 2013, he supported getting rid of the British monarchy. In August 2014, Coogan was one of 200 public figures who signed a letter. The letter hoped that Scotland would vote to stay part of the United Kingdom.

Coogan supported Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party leader, in the 2017 general election. He hosted a rally for Corbyn in Birmingham. In November 2019, Coogan signed a letter defending Corbyn. He described Corbyn as "a beacon of hope." He also supported him in the 2019 general election. In December 2019, Coogan signed another letter supporting the Labour Party.

In September 2023, Coogan spoke at the Liberal Democrat Conference by video. He said he would vote for the Liberal Democrats in the 2024 general election. This was because he felt they were best placed to remove the Conservatives from power. In October, Coogan was among over 2,000 cultural figures who signed a letter. This letter called for a Gaza ceasefire. Following criticism, Coogan said that "what Hamas did is evil beyond imagination." In June 2024, Coogan signed a letter calling for Labour to stop selling arms to Israel if elected. That month, he supported the Green Party and campaigned for Siân Berry.

Other Activities

In 2025, Coogan was appointed co-chair of the Middleton Mayoral development corporation. This role involves helping to improve his hometown. He will work to speed up development and attract new investments.

Acting Credits

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

Stand-up Tours

Awards and Nominations

Coogan's show Steve Coogan in character with John Thomson won the Perrier Award in 1992. He has won many awards for his TV work, including British Comedy Awards and BAFTAs. In 2003, The Observer newspaper listed him as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. In 2005, other comedians voted him among the top 20 greatest comedy acts ever.

See also

In Spanish: Steve Coogan para niños

• List of British actors
• List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Great Britain
• Martin Brennan (character)