Coogan's Foreign Office role

Steve Coogan, the comedian who created the Alan Partridge character, could be taking on a new role: our man in Tashkent.

Coogan, is being considered for the role of maverick British ambassador Craig Murray, who was sacked by the Foreign Office in 2004.

The rights to Mr Murray's account of his two years in Uzbekistan, Murder In Samarkand, have been bought by British director Michael Winterbottom.

The Foreign Office has warned it could take legal action over the book.