Steve Coogan has narrowly avoided a driving ban after arguing in court that it could jeopardise the production of a new series of The Trip with Rob Brydon.
The 59-year-old actor, best known for his role as Alan Partridge, was caught speeding at 97mph on the M6 on 29 July last year while driving a Range Rover. Already carrying six penalty points on his licence, Coogan faced the prospect of a six-month driving ban if he accrued further points.
Court plea to continue filming
In a letter to Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, Coogan pleaded for leniency, stating that driving was essential to his professional commitments. He highlighted his upcoming role in The Trip, which, as the title suggests, involves extensive driving.
“I have a series of important film commitments scheduled for 2025, many of which involve driving as a central component of the work,” he wrote. “I am due to appear in a well-established TV series called The Trip (with Rob Brydon) which as the title suggests requires me to drive. This starts filming towards the end of June 2025, and if I were unable to drive, the production would likely be unable to proceed.”
Coogan requested that the court impose only five penalty points, leaving him just short of the threshold for an automatic ban. He stressed the wider impact that a disqualification would have, not only on his own career but on the livelihoods of the production crew.
“These projects would be severely impacted, not only affecting my own livelihood but also the many individuals dependent on these productions for work,” he argued. “These include camera, sound, and lighting technicians, riggers, and others on modest wages who would face cancellations and financial hardship, as rescheduling such projects is often highly complicated.”
He also expressed frustration at the delay in prosecution, which had disrupted his ability to plan for the year ahead.
Fine and points instead of ban
Coogan pleaded guilty to the offence and was handed five penalty points, bringing his total to 11 – just one short of triggering a ban. In addition, he was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £90 in costs along with a £1,000 victim surcharge.
The offence took place just before midnight on the northbound M6, near Junction 12 for Telford.
Not the first courtroom appeal
This is not the first time Coogan has cited his television career in a bid to avoid a driving ban. In 2019, he persuaded Crawley magistrates to reduce a potential disqualification, arguing that a lengthy ban would force the cancellation of a new Alan Partridge series.
“I’m producing a travelogue follow-on TV series where I’m basically driving around Britain,” he told the court at the time. “The whole nature of the series is that it is a travelogue and it’s an artistic thing that he drives and that defines his character. You couldn’t put him on a train because that’s not who he is – it’s part of his character that he drives.”
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On that occasion, the court agreed to a shorter two-month ban rather than the standard six, allowing the production to proceed.
The future of the trip
Coogan and Rob Brydon have already filmed four series of The Trip, playing fictionalised versions of themselves as they travel together, reviewing restaurants along the way. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, the show has taken them across the UK, Italy, Spain, and Greece.
Both Coogan and Brydon have expressed interest in a fifth series, with Ireland, Wales, and the US suggested as possible locations. However, in February last year, Winterbottom ruled out another series. Coogan’s court plea, however, suggests plans for a new instalment are now in motion.
Coogan’s driving history
Coogan has previously been penalised for speeding. In 2016, he was banned from driving for 28 days and fined £670 after being caught travelling at nearly twice the speed limit on a 30mph road in Brighton.
The actor has also spoken about his love of driving, revealing in his latest court letter that he covers around 14,000 miles a year for his work in TV, film, and podcasts.
For now, Coogan remains on the road – just one point away from losing his licence.
