Fictional broadcaster Alan Partridge has a new gig – co-hosting the TFI Friday Christmas comedy special with Chris Evans.

The Radio Norwich DJ – a character played by Steve Coogan – was “honoured” to be given the role, and said his “only slight niggle” is that he is not having his transport paid for.

Alan Partridge
Alan Partridge (Yui Mok/PA)

The pair will be joined by big names on the Channel 4 show including James Corden, Sir Tom Jones, comedians Jack Whitehall and Lee Mack, and singers Bryan Adams, Lianne La Havas and Elle King.

Speaking about his co-host, Chris said: “Having staggered through nearly 200 TFI Friday rehearsals and live shows over the years, it’ll be a relief to see how it should be done by Norfolk’s master of broadcasting.”

Chris Evans is returning as presenter of TFI Friday (Channel 4)
Chris Evans presents TFI Friday (Channel 4)

Alan added: “I was honoured to receive the invitation to co-present ‘Thank Frig It’s Friday’. The fee being offered was more than generous, and as soon as I received photographic evidence that my dressing room had its own shower, I signed on the dotted line. My only slight niggle is that they refused to pay for my transport.”

The character has been one of Steve’s biggest successes with the Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa movie doing well at the box office in 2013.

Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan (Dan Hallman/AP)

Last year he said of the character: “We will do a few more shows for TV and then lay him to rest and get on with other things.

“I’m not going to kill him off, we’ll just cryogenically preserve him, put him on ice, put him in a morgue, chill him.

“Maybe we’ll bring him back at a later date but I think you can slip into overkill sometimes with a character, best to leave the audience wanting more, you don’t want to oversaturate people.”

Meanwhile, an online petition calling for the Norwich DJ to be hired for Top Gear has attracted more than 34,000 supporters.

The BBC motoring show’s new presenter Evans has hinted that there may not be co-hosts with him at all times throughout the show. But back in March, before Chris was named as the new host, a change.org petition was launched, calling for Partridge to replace Jeremy Clarkson.

It says: “Alan has a strong track record for broadcast presenting, from his relaxed professionalism with guests on BBC chat show ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ to his effortless banter on his talk shows at Radio Norwich.

“He has good experience with motoring TV, after his brilliant work on ‘Crash! Bang! Wallop! (What a video)’. His work as sports presenter on news programme ‘The Day Today’ also shows off his ability to talk about and inform on a range of topics.”