Steve Coogan uses The Trip to avoid lengthier driving ban

Steve Coogan has been banned for driving for two months instead of six, after telling the judge that a lengthier ban would impact the filming of his popular TV comedy series The Trip.

The actor and comedian was caught going at 97mph, well over the 70mph speed limit, while travelling in a Range Rover on the M6 in Staffordshire in July last year.

In a letter to Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, the 59-year-old urged the court not to disqualify him as he already had six points on his licence and was required to drive as part of filming a forthcoming series of the The Trip alongside co-star Rob Brydon.

His request for five penalty points to be imposed instead of six – which would have led to a six-month ban meaning “the production would likely be unable to proceed”, he argued – was granted after he pleaded guilty to the offence on 30 January.

Coogan noted that the past penalty points on his licence would be due to expire in August 2025 and that he had stuck to speed limits since the incident.

The Evening Standard, which first reported the story, said Coogan also expressed frustration it had taken almost six months for the prosecution to be brought.

The court ultimately decided to ban him from driving for two months instead of six, meaning the TV show can be made as planned.

He was also ordered to pay a £2,500 fine, plus £90 costs and a £1,000 victim surcharge.

Coogan’s letter to the court read: “I have a series of important film commitments scheduled for 2025, many of which involve driving as a central component of the work.

“I am due to appear in a well-established TV series called The Trip which as the title suggests requires me to drive.

“This starts filming towards the end of June 2025 and if I were unable to drive, the production would likely be unable to proceed.”

He highlighted how the punishment would not only affect him, but “the many individuals dependent on these productions for work”, including camera sound, and lighting technicians, as well as riggers.

The Trip is a largely improvised sitcom directed by Michael Winterbottom, which stars Coogan and Brydon as fictionalised versions of themselves, dealing with life and often doing impressions while taking foodie trips around the UK, Italy, Spain and Greece.

Coogan won the Bafta TV Award for best male performance in a comedy role in 2011 for his part in series one, which – like all four – was also edited into a feature film.

His latest comments appear to confirm plans for a fifth series of The Trip, which had not yet previously been announced.

It was thought that 2020’s Trip to Greece – series four – had been the finale, but Coogan said on Brydon’s podcast in 2023 that they should make another series, floating the idea of Wales, Ireland and America as possible locations.

“I think certainly there will be more stuff to say, because middle age is different to just getting old,” said Coogan. “I think we should do another one, at a time and place to be determined.”

Brydon added: “I always say to people, if Steve is still alive in 10 years, I would [do another series]. And they laugh.”

Coogan previously escaped a lengthy driving ban, on another occasion in 2019, after successfully arguing that a new series featuring his much-loved character Alan Partridge could not be filmed on public transport.