BBC The Reckoning: Steve Coogan’s very famous exes from 90s rocker to Downton Abbey star

As his most famous character, Alan Partridge, he wasn’t quite such a hit with women.

But Steve Coogan himself has had quite the track record when it comes to love and dating.

Coogan, 56, will play serial abuser Jimmy Savile in upcoming BBC drama The Reckoning.

And the dad-of-one has had an illustrious career up until taking on the role of the evil predator – raking in around £19m by starring on radio, TV and the big screen.

As well as his stellar acting career, Coogan has a long and chequered past with love – dating models, well-known actresses and even a rock star who dubbed her time with him one of her life’s “great shames”.

In 2002, Coogan married British socialite Caroline Hickman.

But just three years later the pair divorced – as Hickman admitted the marriage had irretrievably broken down.

That same year in 2005, Coogan had a two-week fling with Hole singer Courtney Love, now 57, who was famously married to Nirvana rocker Kurt Cobain.

But in January last year Love called the rendezvous “one of my life’s great shames” on social media – alongside her own album America’s sweetheart and crack.

In 2008 Coogan started dating actress and restaurant heiress China Chow, the daughter of Michael Chow who is known for the Mr Chow restaurant chain.

In three years, however, the shine of the relationship had worn off, despite a source initially telling MailOnline that he was “absolutely smitten and hasn’t even looked twice at another girl in months.”

Coogan also had a relationship with underwear model Elle Basey, 24 years his junior in 2011.

The unlikely duo had met while he was guest editing Loaded magazine as Alan Partridge.

A source close to the pair told the Mirror: “Steve and Elle enjoy each other’s company.

“They are taking things slowly but have a lot in common, despite the age difference.

“Steve is a ­charming man and Elle loves that about him.”

In 2019 Coogan split from Melanie Sykes, now 53, after 10 months.

Sykes had grown concerned Coogan did not want to settle down and was said to be “gutted but not surprised” by the end of their romance which began after they met at a glitzy film premiere of Stan &Ollie in Soho, London.

In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, a source close to Mel said: “Mel is gutted it didn’t work out – but although she is disappointed, she is not that surprised.”

The source added: “She was worried that he wasn’t committing and wasn’t keen on family stuff or getting too involved with her two teenage sons.”

And that’s not all for Coogan’s significant dating history.

Coogan has also dated actress Laura Hajek, Downtown Abbey cast member Daisy Lewis and Nancy Sorrell.

MailOnline reported that Lewis and the comedian Steve Coogan broke up after a dramatic and emotional late-night scene outside London’s Groucho Club in 2016.

Witnesses said the Coogan bundled the weeping actress into a cab on her own after their spat in the Soho venue spilled out on to the street.

Lewis, then 30, refused to comment but tweeted cryptically, “Things I can live without: weak cruel men…”

Coogan has a grown-up daughter, Claire, from a four-year relationship with solicitor Anna Cole in the 1990s.

His most well known roles include not only the gaffe-prone Alan Partridge but also in film – including his portrayal of Stanley Laurel in Stan and Ollie, a film about the iconic double act.

The following year, he played a billionaire fashion mogul, loosely modelled on Topshop mogul Philip Green, in the Michael Winterbottom film Greed.