Image caption The Alan Partridge Movie will begin shooting in January

The long-gestating Alan Partridge movie will reach cinemas next August, its UK distributor has confirmed.

The film will see Steve Coogan's comic creation attempt to "salvage his public career while negotiating a potentially violent turn of events".

Speaking in character, Coogan said the backing of French company StudioCanal made it "the greatest Anglo-French co-operation since the Normandy landings".

The production is also supported by BBC Films and the BFI Film Fund.

Coogan's buffoonish broadcaster began life as a spoof sports reporter on Radio 4's On the Hour before moving to television on BBC Two's The Day Today.

Partridge went on to star in a number of BBC series and was seen this week on Sky Atlantic in the one-hour special Welcome to the Places of My Life.

Directed by Declan Lowney, The Alan Partridge Movie will be written by Coogan, Peter Baynham and Armando Iannucci. Neil and Rob Gibbons will also contribute.

The film is set to begin shooting on 7 January and will be released in the UK on 16 August.

Speaking last week, Iannucci revealed the film would see Alan do battle with a media giant that takes over his local digital TV channel.

"Alan is in Norwich," said the writer and producer at a preview of his new political comedy Veep. "It's not Alan goes to Hollywood [or] Alan invaded by aliens.

"He's on North Norfolk Digital, which is taken over by a bigger media conglomerate and has its name changed to Shape."

Last year, Coogan appeared at the Leveson inquiry into media ethics to give evidence of alleged press intrusion into his private life.