English-Irish comedian Steve Coogan is banned from driving for two months, but it’s actually a win for the TV legend. He successfully avoided a six-month driving ban after being caught speeding at 97mph, arguing that such a penalty would disrupt the production of a new season of his TV show.
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Coogan might be best known to American audiences for his appearances in the Night at the Museum trilogy and 2008’s Tropic Thunder.
The 59-year-old was caught driving at 97mph in a 70mph zone while traveling in a Range Rover on the M6 in Staffordshire, England, in July last year, per the BBC.
In a letter to Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, reported by the Evening Standard, Coogan asked the court not to disqualify him by avoiding the addition of six more points to the six already on his license.
If drivers collect 12 or more penalty points within three years, they will be disqualified from driving for at least six months.
The outlet reported that he informed the court of his obligation to film the fifth season of The Trip, in which he co-stars with Rob Brydon. He explained that a lengthy driving ban would likely prevent the production from moving forward.
After pleading guilty to the offense on Jan. 30, he requested a five-point penalty instead of six. This adjustment resulted in a two-month driving ban, rather than the six-month suspension he would have faced with six penalty points. Coogan was fined £2,500 and also required to pay £90 in legal costs and a £1,000 victim surcharge. The TV show is expected to go ahead as planned.
Steve Coogan Used Similar Defenses for Past Speeding Offenses
“I have a series of important film commitments scheduled for 2025, many of which involve driving as a central component of the work,” Coogan’s letter to the court read, per the Evening Standard.
“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 continued.
“These projects would be severely impacted, not only affecting my own livelihood but also the many individuals dependent on these productions for work,” Coogan added.
The outlet reported that he mentioned his previous penalty points were set to expire in August and that he had adhered to speed limits since the incident. Coogan also expressed frustration over the nearly six-month delay in bringing the prosecution forward.
In August 2019, Coogan successfully persuaded Crawley Magistrates’ Court to reduce his driving ban after being caught speeding at 36mph in a 30mph zone. During the hearing, he argued that a prolonged disqualification would prevent him from filming a new season of his show, Alan Partridge.
In 2016, at Worthing Magistrates’ Court, he received a 28-day driving ban for speeding at 54mph in a 30mph zone while driving a Mazda sports car.