Alan Partridge writers tease Katherine Kelly’s “awful” character in How Are You?

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Katherine Kelly will be featured prominently in this weekend’s How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge), but the creators of the mockumentary have cautioned that her character won’t be beneficial to Steve Coogan‘s comedic broadcasting persona.

The newest installment featuring Alan Partridge finds him tackling the subject of mental health – in his own, uniquely flawed style. He looks at different methods for coping with stress in today’s challenging world.

Currently, things are a bit up and down for Alan. He recently lost his comfortable job presenting on the BBC show This Time, but he’s found happiness in a new relationship with Katrina (Kelly).

At the press event for the new series, How Are You? co-writer Neil Gibbons shared that the show’s creators have developed Alan beyond the vulnerable character he was in I’m Alan Partridge, specifically moving past the portrayal of him as a perpetually downtrodden figure, as seen during his time at the travel tavern.

But they’ve found a “new flavour” of torment for the character from Katrina.

It seems like he has a lot going for him. He owns a nice house and a good car. He’s also finding a good amount of work that, while not high-profile, is quite profitable,” Neil explained. Neil co-writes with his brother, Rob Gibbons, and Coogan himself.

He’s dating a younger woman – she’s very attractive and well-known locally. However, she’s actually a terrible person. As the show progresses, you see Alan increasingly unhappy with a situation that, on the surface, seems quite beneficial to him, and it really starts to fall apart.

Coogan explained they wanted to develop a female character capable of confidently countering Alan’s sexist behavior and confronting him in ways that Lynn (Felicity Montagu) and his former partner Sonja (Amelia Bullmore) never managed to do.

According to Coogan, Alan frequently picks on Lynn, though Lynn occasionally manages to turn the tables on him. “However,” he continued, “we needed an individual who could consistently put Alan in a disadvantaged position, something he doesn’t experience with Lynn.”

We were looking for a woman who was assertive and took charge, and someone our protagonist was clearly drawn to. However, she was unpredictable and he struggled to truly understand her personality.

Coogan also commended his current collaborators on Partridge, Neil and Rob Gibbons, for evolving Alan from a character initially based on fairly simple humor into someone more complex and well-rounded.

“Rob and Neil are really, totally comfortable with poignancy or pathos,” he concluded.

As a critic, I’ve noticed a real change in Alan’s character. He’s become much more three-dimensional thanks to the way the writers have handled him. It’s gotten to the point where you can actually feel sorry for him, genuinely have compassion. And honestly, that’s a much more humane approach to the character, and I think it’s a big reason why the show has had such longevity.

How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) premieres on BBC One and iPlayer on Friday 3rd October 2025.

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2025-10-01 12:34