Alan Johnson

Alan Johnson, often referred to simply as "Johnson," serves as both a nemesis and a foil to Mark and Jeremy in Peep Show. Portrayed by Paterson Joseph, Johnson is a senior loan manager at JLB Credit and Mark's boss for much of the series. Charismatic, dapper, and supremely confident, Johnson exudes authority and maintains a reckless, cutthroat approach to business and life. Mark is both intimidated by and in awe of him.

Names	Alan Johnson
Gender	Male ♂
Race	Human
Occupation	Loan Manager
Origin	Peep Show Series 1 Episode 4: Mark Makes a Friend (10 October, 2003)
Alignment	Anti-Villain
Age	30s to 40s
Created By	Andrew O'Connor, Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, David Mitchell, Robert Webb
Height	172cm (5ft 8in)
Weight	75 kg (165 lbs)
Personality Type	ENTJ

Appearance

Alan Johnson is the epitome of a sharp-dressed professional, frequently seen in tailored suits and waistcoats that exude confidence and authority. His polished appearance reinforces his image as a no-nonsense businessman, while his imposing demeanor commands respect and fear in equal measure.

Personality

Personality-wise, Johnson is the embodiment of self-assuredness and ambition. He thrives on control and exudes charisma, often leaving those around him awestruck or intimidated. His confidence is matched only by his ruthlessness, as he applies cold, calculated business principles to every aspect of his life. Johnson’s charm is tempered by his bluntness and crass remarks, which he delivers with unapologetic bravado.

Despite his outward perfection, Johnson has a darker, more vulnerable side. A recovering alcoholic with a history of personal struggles, he openly acknowledges his past mistakes, albeit with the same matter-of-fact attitude he applies to business. His fall from power in series 6 reveals cracks in his otherwise impenetrable façade, as he succumbs to eccentric behavior and moments of desperation.

Johnson’s personality is multifaceted: while he is heartless and calculating in his professional dealings, he demonstrates occasional moments of humanity, such as mentoring young Black men and contributing to his community. However, his manipulative tendencies and unrelenting pursuit of success often overshadow these redeeming qualities.

Ultimately, Johnson’s personality is a mix of magnetic confidence, ruthless pragmatism, and flashes of vulnerability that make him both an awe-inspiring and deeply flawed figure.

Biography

As a senior loan manager at JLB Credit, Alan Johnson quickly befriends Mark after their initial meeting. Known for his sharp suits and penchant for waistcoats, Johnson is suave and professional yet unabashedly ruthless. He wields his managerial power with impunity and speaks with a level of bluntness that is both intimidating and crass. Rarely challenged, he is a formidable figure in both professional and social settings.

Johnson’s cutthroat ideology extends beyond the workplace, applying business-like maxims to personal situations. For instance, he views his "indecent proposal" to Jeremy—offering £530 for permission to sleep with Big Suze—as no different from "hiring a solicitor or leasing a villa." Similarly, he delivers a coldly businesslike eulogy for Gerrard in series 8 and demonstrates his ruthlessness when ordering Mark to fire Sophie, referring to JLB as a "maximum security business institution." At one point, he even mimes a gunshot outside the window as Mark hesitates to follow through.

Though confident in most aspects of his life, Johnson has his vulnerabilities. He reveals that he was an alcoholic for 15 years, describing his recovery as having been "to the bottom of the bottle and back to the top." He also mentions a failed marriage, dismissively stating that he "doesn't need another bullet in the head." Despite his often abrasive personality, Johnson participates in community work, including running a mentoring program for young Black men.

Johnson’s relationship with Mark is complex. While Mark admires Johnson, even questioning whether he is in love with him, Johnson is repulsed by the notion but remains cordial, fostering a strange camaraderie. Jeremy initially gets along with Johnson but quickly grows to despise him when Big Suze leaves Jeremy to pursue a relationship with Johnson.

After the closure of JLB’s London branch in series 6, Johnson experiences a significant downturn, moving into a modest "recession residence" with Suze. His fall from power leads to eccentric behavior, such as labeling fruit with his name and becoming enraged when Suze eats a "Johnson orange." During this time, he swindles Mark out of £2,000 by pitching him a dubious role in his new management consulting firm, Consultio/Consultius. Despite this, he manages to secure a contract with Sales Direct, holding a meeting with executives in the Mexican restaurant where Mark works.

In the final episode of series 7, Johnson’s fortunes seem to improve as he hosts a lavish New Year’s Eve party at his new home. He hints that his newfound wealth comes from direct marketing or pyramid schemes. However, his fragile sobriety collapses when he sees Mark at a rival New Year’s Eve party, leading him to down a glass of champagne in a fit of rage.

By series 9, Johnson has recovered and is thriving once again, now working as a bank manager at Met City Bank, where he once again becomes Mark's superior. His ruthless management style remains intact, signaling his return to his former self.