Welcome Return Of Coogan'S Top Comic Creation.

(From Leicester Mercury)

In fact, it took less than 60 seconds for Steve Coogan to vindicate his decision to dust down one of the greatest comic creations of the 1990s.

"Which is the best lord - Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Dance or Lord of the Flies?" Alan Partridge asked his audience on Radio Norwich's "third best slot".

"It's tonight's hot topic," he added, reaching over and triumphantly slapping the button that triggered a Hot Topic jingle.

Then he headed off for a coffee at the late-night BP garage.

The next giddying half-hour of I'm Alan Partridge (BBC2, 9pm) raced by in a thesaurus-flicking flurry of chuckles, chortles, …