Over twenty years since his alias Alan Partridge was born, Steve Coogan is still grateful to his alter ego.

Speaking to RTÉ TEN, Coogan sounded relieved that no one had shouted A-ha! at him since he arrived in Dublin ahead of the recent premiere for his new drama Philomena.

He said: "I have only just got off the plane and they whisked me through a VIP exit to the car so no one could shout A-ha! at me!"

However, its something that he doesn't get away with when he's home in the UK: "It happens and it still happens a lot. Sometimes I'm slightly irritated by it and other times I think if they weren't shouting A-ha, you wouldn't be paying your rent."