"Noel: From Rock'n'Roll Star To TV Star"

Oasis' Noel Gallagher mad a surprise bid for TV stardom last week after appearing on two Channel 4 shows within three days.

Noel met Steve Coogan's spoof chat show host Alan Partridge on a special "Knowing Me, Knowing You" for the Aids benefit evening, "Stephen Fry's Live From The Lighthouse".

He then appeared three days later in a cameo role in the acclaimed "Young Person's Guide To Becoming A Rock Star".

And the odds on Noel filling the shoes of the outgoing Denise Van Outen on Channel 4's "The Big Breakfast" have been slashed to 100/1. A spokesman for Ladbrokes said: "Following the appearances on Channel 4, we'd put Noel at about 100/1. We've not taken any bets on him, but he would make a good sidekick, I suppose, so who knows?"

In the first appearance of his Channel 4 wee, he was introduced with the words: "Now, my next guest has been described as a singer. Please welcome the 'singer'. Noel Gallagher...Knowing me, Alan Partridge. Knowing you, Noel Gallagher, ah-ha." Noel replied in the time-honoured manner: "Ah-ha".

Partridge then came up with a startling new angle on Noel: "Coward, Edmonds, [the late soap actress Noelle] Gordon. And now you - Gallagher. Noels who throughout the ages have captured the public imagination. You're not 'the first Noel'. You're not the second or the third. You're the fourth. Now, what is it about these four very different people that gives you a common thread?" Noel gave the only possible answer: "We're all called Noel."

Partridge ended the interview by asking the question all Oasis fans have been asking: "Is there any truth in the rumour that you're writing a West End rock opera called 'Ring, Ring' about the life of Alexander Graham Bell with Darren Day in the lead role?" Noel dropped the bombshell answer: "No".

Happy at landing this scoop, Partridge concluded: "You heard it here first. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Nigel Gallagher!"

Noel's second Channel 4 appearance came on December 1, in the form of a cameo in "The Young Person's Guide To Becoming A Rock Star" where he met Jez (alias actor Ciaran McMenemin), frontman of the show's fictional band Jocks Wa-Hey, as featured in last week's Maker.

Jez was seen in a club, feeling somewhat depressed by the attention the woman he fancied was paying to another pop star. He sat down alone, and noticed an abandoned guitar. Picking it up, he idly strummed what he thought were the opening chords to Oasis' "Wonderwall" - only to hear a voice behind him say, "You've got the wrong chord there, mate."

Looking round, he saw Noel, who continued: "I should know, I wrote it." An awestruck Jez then said: "I'm sorry, Mr Gallagher," before a loud crash behind him prompted Noel to excuse himself with the words: "Our Kid's in."

A source at Channel 4 told The Maker: "Having Noel, who is such a big-name star, to be on two Channel 4 shows in one week is a bonus. Obviously, Noel was one of many stars on 'Live From The Lighthouse', but then appearing on 'Young Person's Guide...' was great. As for the chance of Noel turning up as a 'Big Breakfast' presenter, it's highly unlikely, but then again, you never know."

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c 1998 Andrew Turner

aturner@interalpha.co.uk

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