Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa to hold its world premiere in Norwich

Steve Coogan's comic creation Alan Partridge will be on hand to greet fans and media at the lunchtime event which will take place in Anglia Square before travelling by helicopter, no less, down to London for the evening premiere in London's Leicester Square.

"You can imagine how hurt and litigious I felt when people said I was planning to debut my movie in London instead of Norwich," said Alan, "or that I'd allowed my head to be turned by the prospect of big city fame. Any suggestion I've hastily cobbled together the lunchtime Norwich screening in response to a local Twitter campaign will be met with the full force of the law."

The decision follows a Facebook and Twitter campaign bearing the slogan "Anglia Square not Leicester Square" that has attracted thousands of followers. Rafiq Turnbull, one of the campaign’s founders, argued that “more people would turn out to a premiere in Norwich than London. People would crowd the streets.

"He’s parodied this city for so long. London gets everything – this is a film about a much-loved Norwich character, so the premiere should be here.”

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is released in UK cinemas on 7 August and sees the North Norfolk Digital host appear in cinemas for the first time as he becomes a hostage negotiator during a siege at the station. Watch the trailer below...