COMEDIAN Steve Coogan escaped a driving ban today after claiming it would force him to cancel his BBC One series.

The actor star was caught driving his Porsche at 36mph in a 30mph zone close to his £4million mansion in Halland.

The 53-year-old was clocked on January 8 by an automatic camera on the A22 Eastbourne Road and faced a three-point endorsement on his driving licence.

But he already had nine points from previous motoring offences and a further three points would have meant he would have had 12 points and faced an automatic six-month ban under the totting up procedure.

However, magistrates in Crawley handed Coogan a two-month ban after hearing a sixth-month suspension would force him to cancel an Alan Partridge travelogue television series he is set to make for the BBC, the MailOnline reported.

The actor has a history of speeding offences and had previously attended a drivers awareness course just two months ago.

Magistrates handed him three penalty points and banned him from the roads for two months.

They also fined him £750 with £85 court costs and £75 victim surcharge.