For want of a less Fanny Thomas-type phrase, I was a latecomer (ooh pardon). It was 2003 when I first properly watched him. Up until then, I was so unfamiliar with the character that I'd confused him with Titchmarsh.
Visiting a friend's home, he put on KMKY, the tv version. The Sue Lewis interview had me in stitches. Alan struck me as having the charm and patter of Bob Monkhouse, with the aggressive sarcasm of Basil Fawlty. Just as it is when you're wowed by an artist whose music you've heard for the first time, I knew I had to find out more.
That's my story, and there's no way anyone can prove otherwise.
My first impression of Partridge was when I shouted "AHAAAA!" at some strangers in a pub. I was swiftly ejected, but stand by it.
For me it was around 1996 and a pal wouldn't stop banging on about the radio show that he had on tape. I was quite busy being a techno maniac at the time, but I gave it a listen and it smashed me in the ears. I think it was the interview with the French racing driver that really caught me.
I was running a pirate radio station at the time and used Alan's style to chat between lengthy mixes. I don't know if anyone ever realised what I was doing.
First remember seeing him in '94 watching KMKYWAP on telly.
Then IAP1, which led me to KMKYWAP radio tapes, then On the Hour and Day Today.
Then EVERYTHING forever after.
Not forgetting of course Rebecca Front's brilliant performance as the thinking man's Harvey Smith(ess).
I remember being in sixth form in 1998 or so and, not having a great amount of popularity back then (certainly not as much as I have these days 😉), I wanted to impress two chaps who were talking about Partridge in the common room. So I started watching I'm Alan Partridge so that I could join in the chat- I think my first introduction was probably the Benjamin Netanyahu scene. I don't think I really understood WHY it was funny as awkward humour was a relatively new thing, but I found it absolutely first class.