Contents
Ricky Gervais
Co-creating The Office and playing David Brent, the boss desperate to be liked.
Extras · After Life
- Born
- 25 June 1961
- Birthplace
- Reading, England
More people
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais is an English comedian, actor and writer whose screen characters often mistake their own importance. Alongside television comedies, he has built a stand-up career around blunt observations, uncomfortable subjects and arguments about offence.
Early life
Growing up in Reading
Raised in Whitley as the youngest of four children, he attended local state schools.
A philosophy degree
Studied at University College London and graduated in philosophy in 1983, before comedy became his profession.
Career
- 1980s–1990s
Music before comedy
Sang in Seona Dancing and ran student-union entertainment before working at Xfm, where he hired Stephen Merchant.
- 2001
A television breakthrough
Co-wrote and co-directed The Office with Merchant, starring in the series that brought him mainstream recognition.
- 2003–2005
Stage and screen
Toured with Animals, then followed The Office with Extras, another collaboration with Merchant.
- 2012–2019
Writing his own series
Created Derek and then After Life, writing, directing and starring in comedies shaped by care, grief and kindness.
- 2018 onwards
Stand-up on Netflix
Humanity brought his live comedy to Netflix, followed by further filmed specials including Armageddon.
Selected work
The Office
A mock documentary about a Slough paper company, where David Brent mistakes managing people for entertaining them.
Extras
An aspiring actor struggles with fame, compromise and the gap between a speaking part and real success.
Humanity
A stand-up special filmed at the London Palladium, tackling ageing, celebrity and taking offence.
After Life
A bereaved newspaper writer uses hostility to keep others away, while friendship gradually interrupts his isolation.
Beyond work
Jane Fallon
Met the future television producer and novelist at university; their relationship began in 1982.
Animal welfare
Supports animal charities including Animals Asia, which works to end bear bile farming and care for rescued bears.
Sources & photo credit
Wikipedia: biography and chronology ↗Official biography: music, student union and Xfm ↗UCL: philosophy graduate, 1983 ↗Official history of The Office ↗Official Extras guide ↗Netflix: Humanity ↗Netflix: After Life ↗Netflix: Armageddon ↗Animals Asia: charity support ↗Photo: Raph_PH. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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