Sacha Baron Cohen has revived Ali G ahead of a new film, Ali G: Who Iz I?, due for worldwide release on 23 October. The character made a disruptive appearance at the Wimbledon men’s final, where he allegedly heckled spectators, made provocative claims involving Prince Harry and tried to sell illegal substances; the incident may feature in the film and signals Cohen’s return to his prank-based comedy.

The film will be Cohen’s directorial debut and follows 2002’s Ali G Indahouse, which did not receive a US theatrical release, potentially making American public figures less familiar with the character. Ali G first appeared on Channel 4 in 1998 and became known for interviewing unsuspecting prominent figures, including Buzz Aldrin, Naomi Wolf and Tony Benn, in a deliberately ignorant “voice of the yoof” persona.