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Alan Partridge just emailed everyone at the BBC and it’s ruddy brilliant

John Plunkett. Updated February 25th, 2019

Alan Partridge is back on the BBC tonight in his keenly-awaited small screen return as guest co-presenter on BBC1’s This Time.

And to mark the occasion, Partridge has sent an email to everyone at the BBC and it’s just as good as you’d hope it would be, shared by one of the people who received it, Tim Johns.

Back of the net!

Dear colleague

I’m Alan Partridge and tonight sees my return to the BBC for the first time in two decades.

Yes, some 24 years after my last presenting gig, the BBC have sidled up to me with a short-term offer to co-present your much-loved magazine show, This Time, standing in for John Baskell who’s been taken ill. My response? Well, although my diary is as clogged as John’s arteries (get well, John!) I have agreed to drop everything and step up.

Now, some of you aren’t going to like that. Some of you made clear when I left that I wouldn’t be welcome back; a woman who worked in compliance called Karen or Kate or Kath who had long wavy hair and apparently still works here sneered so hard I thought her face would turn inside out.

But back I am, as evidenced by this, my own official BBC email address. And with it I reach out to you, my colleagues – not to gloat, or settle old scores, or say ‘Hey, Karen/Kate/Kath, why don’t you kiss my arse’ – but to be the bigger man and clear the air of any residual stench.

No, it’s time for a clean slate and no hard feelings. Because I love the BBC and I always have. While others might say it’s a smug anachronism full of braying, know-nothing chancers doling out fat commissions to their braying, know-nothing Oxbridge mates, I don’t. I think the BBC is great and watch its programmes avidly, regardless of their quality.

All I ask is that you return the favour. All of you. From on-screen talent right the way down to off-screen staff. I ask every one of this email’s 20,000+ recipients to tune in tonight at 9.30pm on BBC1. Even if nobody else in the country does, we’re already hitting the kind of numbers my shows were getting on Sky Atlantic. Spread the word to a few more and my viewing figures will show the upward trajectory management is bound to want a piece of.

So once again, please, please, please tune in. Please tune in.

Your colleague (and I am your colleague)

Alan Partridge.

And just in case you want a little taster …

READ MORE

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