Liverpool Arts: TV Review: Alan Partridge makes a triumphant return

"A TREE is likely a timely old uncle who says “Come, let me cradle you in one of my many arms”.

Only one comedy character can get away with a phrase like that. Unsure who I'm talking about? This one might give it away.

“A tree is like a friend which doesn't criticise your clothes, judge you, or mention poor ratings when you don't stop to sign an autograph for their sister who is in hospital just having had an operation.”

Yup, we're talking Alan Partridge. He's back with Alan Partidge: Welcome To the Places of My Life. It's a one-off special, but the fact it was on Sky Atlantic (Monday, 9pm) means if you missed it you'll not have to wait long for another chance to see it.

“If you think living in Britain's fattest county is going to stop me skiing, then you're wrong.”

And in arguably the best back-handed compliment of all time, Partridge says of his home-town Norwich: “The people of Norwich may seem a little aimless, but underneath is a culture teeming with clubs and societies.”

It would be quite easy to punctuate this column with Partridge quotes.

I won't, because although they'd be little of context, it would rather defeat the purpose of reviewing it.

Put simply, it's Partridge at its best.

The idea is that Partridge is doing a documentary about the favourite places from his life in Norfolk.

Some of the jokes are obvious, such as his remark about the fact that “at this hospital in Kings Lynn, some of the specialists are even British”, others are much subtler.

Long gone are the days at Radio Norwich. Partridge now finds himself on North Norfolk Digital.

His career, it can be said, hasn't gone well … although Partridge is the last to admit that, or even appreciate it at all.

What makes this one-off Partridge “documentary” so brilliant is the way it shows up so many other documentaries for what they are: full of people speaking about things which they think will be fascinating to others but which, put simply, aren't.

Like the truckers from Eddie Stobart who think being late with a loo roll delivery at Tesco is drama, for example.

Steve Coogan, the brains behind Partridge, is a hard man to like, although he probably doesn't care about that.

But there's no denying his utter genius in not only creating Partridge, but knowing how to create just enough Partridge to keep fans wanting more.

Partridge returns to Sky Atlantic next Monday with another special as he talks about his autobiography on a book show.

One man who could have been destined for a Partridge moment last week was Jimmy Carr, whose tax affairs made front page news in a week when his panel show, 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4, Fridays, 9pm) was due to be recorded.

Think back to when Angus Deayton made the front page of the Sunday tabloids – his attempts to dodge the issue on Have I Got News For You ended his career on the show.

On the other hand, Carr put the issue of his off-shore tax arrangements right at the heart of his show.

Maybe he didn't have a choice with the likes of Micky Flanagan, John Richardson, Sean Lock and Sarah Millican on the panel ready to pull him apart if he didn't bring it up.

But it must have hurt been the butt of jokes from Louie Spence.

Not even Partridge has had to suffer that.