Comedy star Steve Coogan premiered his new Alan Partridge movie: Alpha Papa in London – and guests on the red carpet included Manchester’s very own Alpha Pat.

Coun Pat Karney headed down to Leicester Square for the glitzy red carpet premiere alongside Coun Joanne Green – who describe themselves as “Manchester’s top Alan Partridge fans”.

The two Harpurhey councillors managed to get invites as Joanne’s former partner is Martin Coogan, Steve’s brother.

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And they spent the night hobnobbing with A-List stars including Stephen Fry, Hugh Grant and Alan Carr.

Pat says: “It’s the first film premiere both of us had ever been to and it was just like you see in the movies, with all the stars and the flashbulbs popping.

“But some of the fans started calling out to us, asking what part did we play in the film! So we had to run up the red carpet as we were so embarrassed.”

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The duo, who hold regular Alan Partridge nights at their homes, then headed on to the exclusive after-party where they got this picture with Middleton’s finest, Steve. Ever keen to big up Harpurhey, I hear Joanne took the opportunity to get Steve’s backing for the upcoming Harpurhey Film Festival which will take place later this year.

And in return, the Partridge mega-fans have given a resounding thumbs up to the film, which opens to the public on August 7.

Pat, who says he can recite all of Partridge’s famous sayings, beams: “The film is absolutely unbelievable, he’s a comic genius.  All Alan Partridge fans will want to go and see it time and time again.”