Steve Coogan gets back to his roots

Oct 6 2008 by Roz Laws, Sunday Mercury

HE’S the toast of Hollywood at the moment, appearing in hit films like Tropic Thunder and Night At The Museum.

But Steve Coogan liked nothing better than returning to his roots to play a less-than-glamorous Manchester bin man.

He stars in the new three-part comedy drama Sunshine, written by Craig “The Royle Family” Cash. It has the same heartwarming, bittersweet feel, an amusing slice of real life and a world away from Steve’s high-flying film career.

He plays Bob ‘Bing’ Crosby, who’s married to his childhood sweetheart Bernadette (Lisa Millett) and has a cute eight-year-old son Joe (Dominic Senior) and a supportive father in George (Bernard Hill). Life would be good if it weren’t for his gambling addiction, which threatens to ruin his life.

“He’s a sort of Jekyll and Hyde character,” says Steve, 42, who shot to fame as Alan Partridge. “He’s a decent, happy-go-lucky fellow who’s been drawn into the dark side. He’s foolish and smart in equal measure. I like the fact he’s so flawed.

“For a long time now I’ve been wanting to do something about where I’m from and what I’m about.

“This script really struck a chord with me, I know these characters. It felt like coming home – I’ve even been staying with my mum and dad.”

Lisa Millett, last seen in Drop Dead Gorgeous and Holby Blue, says of her role: “I was badgering Craig to let me read it for ages and he said I couldn’t until it was ready.

“Then, eventually when he sent me it, I read the whole thing in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down, and I laughed raucously and cried profusely.

“I phoned him straight away in tears, just mumbling and he’s like ‘you’re incomprehensible, I don’t know what you’re saying!’. I’m going ‘it’s brilliant, it’s brilliant’. I was just absolutely bowled over by it.”

Sunshine, BBC1, Tuesday, 9pm