Steve Coogan booed in Liverpool

Steve Coogan, the creator of Alan Partridge, appears to have lost his comic touch. Big time. This, at least, was the view of the audience who came to see him at the 10,000-seat Liverpool Echo Arena on Wednesday night, many of whom showed their disappointment with the Mancunian comedian's performance by booing and heckling and then walking out halfway through the show.

Some who attended Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters later aired their feelings on the Liverpool Post's website. One wrote: "Just left the Echo Arena and feel that we've been fleeced. One of the UK's most successful character comedians giving a performance that smacked of a hungover improv not worthy of back street Edinboro' fringe." Another said: "Still totally gutted! Steve Coogan thought he could come to Liverpool and practise on us. Insulting." One remarked simply: "Bag-o'-shite."

A spokesman for Coogan defended the comic and his £35-a-ticket show: "A great deal of time and effort has gone into the preparation and production of the live tour. We are sorry to hear that some people did not enjoy the performances."

However, it seems Coogan, who has not performed live stand-up at this level in ten years, preferring to take roles in Hollywood movies and on television, had sensed there might be trouble. Speaking ahead of the show, he admitted that Liverpool audiences and those in his native Manchester could be among the most unforgiving. "Vociferous is probably the best word. If they like what you're doing they'll tell you. If not, they'll tell you that too. I like that," he said. But maybe not as much as he thought.

Local media have been equally scathing. The Liverpool Post critic described Wednesday’s show as the "most offensively half-arsed evening of comedy theatre I have ever seen in my life", while the opening night in Stoke was described by one reviewer as a "mediocre shambles".