Actor and comedian Steve Coogan has avoided a total driving ban for third time after being caught travelling up to 97mph on a major UK motorway.
The actor was caught speeding on the M6 in a Range Rover in Shropshire last year, with many expecting severe punishments to follow.
But in a shocking turn of events, the actor was spared from receiving a total driving ban after using the filming of his show The Trip as an excuse.
In a letter to Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed he pleaded with the court not to disqualify him by adding a further six points to the already accrued six points on his licence, bringing his total to 12.
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The actor was forced to pay £2,500 penalty for breaking the law
PA
Under UK law, drivers can be disqualified if they build up to 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years as well as face a minimum £100 fine.
However, due to Coogan being expected to film The Trip with co-star Rob Brydon, a lengthy driving ban would mean “the production would likely be unable to proceed”.
Coogan instead requested the court issue him five penalty points, making him just shy of a ban. The move was approved after he pleaded guilty to the offence on January 30.
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Steve Coogan
PA
The speeding penalty saw Coogan banned from driving for two months, rather than six months and was ordered to pay a £2,500 fine, plus £90 costs and a £1,000 victim surcharge.
According to The Evening Standard, 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 componentof 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.”
Coogan starred as Labour MP turned TV interviewer Brian WaldenChannel 4But this is not the first time Coogan has managed to talk his way out of a harsher driving ban. He previously was able to argue for a shorter ban at Crawley Magistrates’ Court in August 2019.
He was caught breaking 30mph limits by travelling 36mph but explained that despite his wrongdoings, having an extended disqualification would mean he would be unable to film his new series of Alan Partridge.
In another incident, Worthing Magistrates’ Court banned him from driving for 28 days in 2016 for again breaking a 30mph speed limit and being caught travelling at 54mph in his Mazda sports car.
Steve Coogan had previously escaped having his licence taken away after breaking 30mph limits
PA
But responses to his ability to evade the law have been mixed with some drivers stating his celebrity status “does not excuse breaking the law”.
Sharing on social media, one person said: “He was caught doing 97mph and it’s not the first time he’s been caught for speeding.
“There is no excuse for driving that fast and he has used his status to escape a ban because he thinks he is a big important TV star but Rob Brydon could have done the driving if necessary so the show would not have been affected and anyone else would have been automatically banned.”
Another person shared: “There’s thousands of people who lose their jobs from losing licence who have no other money coming in. But a millionaire gets to keep his so he could afford a taxi for the rest of his life? He can sod off and the program he is recording!”