If I say "Knowing me, knowing you" and you automatically say "Aha!" then you are aware of the problems that the absurdly talented Steve Coogan faces.

He has both the fortune and the misfortune to have created Alan Partridge, failed TV and Radio presenter and one of the most popular and memorable characters of recent comedy history.

Coogan's new sitcom project is called Saxondale, and stars him as Tommy Saxondale, an aging roadie and ratcatcher in Hertfordshire.

Tommy belongs to the generation that still believes the rock songs of the 1970's can change the world. He goes to anger management classes, has a cuddly Welsh rock-chick girlfriend and, in true sitcom style, a sidekick. In this case, an assistant, who he is training in the ways of ratcatching - and prog rock, of course.

Coogan said that this sort of character is interesting because "they see themselves as very much a part of youth culture, but are now not a part of it. How they relate to the world, I thought, was a really fruitful area that hasn't been tapped a lot in terms of comedy. How do these rebellious people deal with the fact that the Prime Minister's got a guitar?"

Saxondale starts on BBC on June 19th.