The actor and comedian Steve Coogan has avoided a six-month driving ban after being caught speeding at 97mph, arguing it would prevent him from filming a new series of his TV show The Trip.
Coogan, 59, was captured travelling over the 70mph speed limit in a Range Rover on the M6 near Telford in Shropshire on 29 July last year.
In a letter to Birmingham magistrates court, reported by the Evening Standard, he urged the court not to disqualify him by adding six more points to the six already accrued on his licence.
Drivers can be disqualified from driving for at least six months if they get 12 or more penalty points within three years.
The newspaper said he told the court he was expected to film the fifth series of The Trip, which he stars in alongside Rob Brydon, and a lengthy driving ban would mean “the production would likely be unable to proceed”.
He requested he be given five penalty points, instead of six, after he pleaded guilty to the offence on 30 January.
This meant he was banned from driving for two months, rather than the six-month ban he would have received had he been given six penalty points.
He was also ordered to pay a £2,500 fine, plus £90 costs and a £1,000 victim surcharge.
The Evening Standard said his 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 added: “These projects would be severely impacted, not only affecting my own livelihood but also the many individuals dependent on these productions for work.”
According to the paper, he said the previous penalty points on his licence were due to expire in August, and that he had stuck to the speed limits since the incident.
He also reportedly expressed frustration that it had taken almost six months for the prosecution to be brought.
Coogan previously successfully argued for a shorter driving ban at Crawley magistrates court in August 2019 after being caught doing 36mph in a 30mph zone.
On that occasion he said an extended disqualification would mean he could not film a new series of Alan Partridge.
He was also banned from driving for 28 days at Worthing magistrates court in 2016 for travelling at 54mph in a 30mph zone in a Mazda sports car.
