Alan Fridge

""From now on all rumours must be attributed to Alan Fridge!! BBC mole, Cardiff insider - Alan Fridge!!!""

- Steven Moffat (personal friend of Alan Fridge), Outpost Gallifrey Forums, 6 August 2007

A Print Media Trope. Ever notice that whenever the papers or the mags have a particularly spurious rumor about a person, TV show, upcoming movie the source of this rumor is never named?

They are usually credited as "our source", "an insider" or, in the case of Celebrity Gossip, "a friend of X". Why is this person never named? It could be because these sources' job or friendship could be in jeopardy if they are named or they could open themselves to libel suits...

...Or with the sillier rumors, they've either been made up, or they are an " Insider" insofar as the "insider" is a coffee boy or is some celebrity's hairdresser or something.

The trope name comes from Outpost Gallifrey Doctor Who Forums where, due to the above quote, Alan Fridge was a Running Gag in general but especially when it came to daft Doctor Who rumors that the British tabloids are known to print. It should be noted it was a different poster who came up with the name Alan Fridge, but it was Steven Moffat who linked the name to the trope.

Also applies to some stories in newspapers on other subjects, e.g. defence.

Compare: Alan Smithee and Could Say It But. Contrast Greg Packer.

Alan Fridge, oddly, is not known for his logic or his brilliance. He's not particularly frightening, either.