I'm Alan Partridge arrived on BBC2 in late 1997 to great acclaim from viewers and critics, however it took a few years for BBC Worldwide to make the series available on VHS and DVD. Unfortunately, the process would not prove straightforward...
The opening seconds of the first episode, 'A Room With An Alan', feature a short burst of 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchell. Unable to clear the song for commercial release, BBC Worldwide arranged an edited version for home video in 2001, however it transpired the DVD erroneously contained the original as-broadcast episode, so the title was immediately recalled (though several copies did make it out to consumers).
Re-issued as an expanded double disc set the following year, 'Big Yellow Taxi' was absent from episode one, with an alternate shot used to cover the edit.
Elsewhere, small differences in colour grading aside, the episodes on both releases are almost identical. For bizarre reasons unknown, the audio of Alan's sighing at the end of each episode on the re-issued 2002 DVD is timed slightly differently to the original broadcast/DVD.
Conspiracy theories are welcome in the Comments section below...
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SOURCES:
1. Episode 1, original BBC2 transmission, 3 Nov 1997, 10pm
2. 1st DVD release, single disc, issue then quickly withdrawn during 2001
3. 2nd DVD release, double disc, issued during 2002
4. Episode 4, original BBC2 transmission, 24 Nov 1997, 10pm
Researched and compiled by Pip Madeley.
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DISCLAIMER: The clips used in this video are the copyright of the BBC and I do not claim ownership. They are used herein for the purpose of comparison for research and educational purposes only. I'm Alan Partridge is very much available to buy on DVD from all the places that you'd expect to find it.