Coogan revives Paul Calf for new series

Comic Steve Coogan is to revive his foul-mouthed layabout Paul Calf for a new TV series after an absence of eight years, it was announced today.

The mullet-haired, student-baiting boozer will return with his brassy sister Pauline for a new show on soon-to-be-launched digital channel BBC3.

The Calfs found fame in the early Nineties on comedy show Saturday Zoo before Coogan put them in TV specials.

They included the video diary-style Three Fights, Two Weddings And A Funeral. The comic – who also created spoof presenter Alan Partridge – featured them in his series Coogan’s Run.

The Calfs return in a half-hour special called Paul And Pauline Calf’s Cheese And Ham Sandwich recorded live at Liverpool’s Neptune Theatre. It will followed by a full series.

BBC3 controller Stuart Murphy said he had no hesitation about commissioning the shows.

“For me what was great about BBC3 was giving a chance to people and programmes which couldn’t be as experimental on BBC1 and BBC2.

“I’m obsessed with Steve Coogan – he represents everything that BBC3 should be about.

“He’s reachable, funny, innovative and constantly surprising. Bringing back the series was a ‘no brainer’,” Murphy added.

Coogan has found his biggest successes by returning to the characters dating back to the start of his TV career, such as Calf and Partridge. Others such as Latin crooner Tony Ferrino have had a muted response.