How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge)

2025 To Be Determined BBC iPlayer ★ 7.5/10

Comedy

In his new documentary series - How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) - we follow the beloved and, to be fair, revered broadcaster as he reintegrates into life in Britain after a year working in Saudi Arabia. But what begins as a documentary about homecoming soon morphs into something more personal as Alan realises that the happiness he thought he'd feel at being back in Norwich just hasn't materialised. Something's missing. We follow Alan as he sets off on a quest to understand his funk and to share what he learns with the nation. And if he ends up being seen as a mental health champion for the middle-aged, who's also a good fit to present other issues-led documentary strands, so be it. Over six episodes, Alan explores exactly half a dozen of the areas that play a part in keeping us funk-free, from home lives, to work life, to the importance of nature, to relationships, to pastimes, to a sixth topic he's not worked out yet because he's a proper journalist, not just a sausage machine knocking out content. It's a journey through the mental health of himself and the country he loves (the UK including Northern Ireland) to ask: are we mentally unwell, mentally challenged, sad, cross, disturbed or just plain fed up?