Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Coogan ya fara aikinsa a matsayin mai ban dariya da mai nuna ra'ayi, yana yin aiki a kai a kai a Ipswich, kafin ya yi aiki a matsayin mai zane-zane na murya don tallan talabijin da kuma wasan kwaikwayo na wasan kwaikwayo "Spitting Image". A cikin 1989, ya bayyana a cikin jerin zane-zane na musamman a cikin zagaye na lura a cikin wasan kwaikwayo na ITV mai suna "The Krypton Factor". A shekarar 1992, Coogan ya lashe kyautar Perrier
a Edinburgh Festival Fringe don wasan kwaikwayonsa tare da abokin aikinsa na dogon lokaci John Thomson, kuma ya fito tare da shi da Caroline Aherne a cikin wani wasan kwaikwayo na Granada TV, "The Dead Good Show". Abubuwan da ya fi fice a wannan lokacin sun kasance Paul Calf, dan wasan Mancunian mai aiki, da 'yar'uwarsa Pauline, wanda Coogan ya buga a cikin tufafi.