Sacha Baron Cohen's hit character Ali G is reportedly set to make a return to TV screens 25 years after his first-ever appearance. Ali G first showed up on Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show in 1998 before subsequently becoming the titular character in Da Ali G Show in the early 2000s.
He's made many appearances over the years, including at the 2012 British Comedy Award as well as the 2015 Oscars. He last showed up during an un-billed gig at The Comedy Store in Sydney in 2021. And now, it was reported that Sacha is working on a tour that will incorporate Ali G.
Speaking to Variety, a source claimed: "As a SAG and WGA member he is supporting the ongoing strike alongside his fellow writers and actors." The Borat actor has yet to reveal how the Staines-based character will be used and when fans can expect to see him on tour. Mirror has contacted his reps for comment.
Ali G became a household name as he interviewed prominent people, including politicians and judges, in the UK. He went on to star in Da Ali G Show in 2000 and featured in a film called Ali G Indahouse in 2002. When his character became too famous by 2007, Sacha retired Ali G as he was too recognisable.
When he made the surprise appearance in Sydney in 2021, Sacha told British GQ at the time: "I just wanted to get on stage and muck around and see what Ali G would be like with a crowd. It was really good fun. The reason I became a comedian was that I loved people laughing at my jokes.
"To actually hear laughter is a rare thing for me. When I do the movies, I have to wait three months to hear an audience laugh."
The head of factual entertainment at Channel 4, Alf Lawrie, previously said shows like Ali G wouldn't work in this day and age due to a 'more regulated environment'. He said: "You can't make Ali G, Borat or Brass Eye now because the rules have changed. You can't hoodwink people on the same grand scale. TV has become a slightly more regulated environment than it was 20 years ago.
"When you were making Borat 20 years ago, you could pretend quite seriously that he was from Kazakhstan and until it aired people had no idea otherwise. These days you can't mislead in the same way..."
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