British comedy icon Ricky Gervais talks winning Radio Times’ Best Modern Comedy Poll: “I’m fascinated by humanity”

by

When Ricky Gervais joined our Zoom call, it felt like something from his show Extras, where he hilariously pokes fun at Hollywood’s ego and famous people. Behind him, I spotted at least five BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globes, and, almost hidden on a lower shelf, an Emmy.

“Are those in case I had forgotten what you’ve done?” I ask.

As a huge comedy fan, I really think Ricky Gervais deserves all the accolades. Ever since The Office burst onto the scene in 2001, completely reshaping British comedy, this incredibly talented guy – he’s a comedian, actor, writer, and director, all rolled into one – has consistently delivered hit after hit. His success rate is honestly phenomenal.

Beyond executive producing the American version of the show, he collaborated with Stephen Merchant on the series Extras and Life’s Too Short. Gervais also created Derek and famously hosted the Golden Globe Awards five times, where he didn’t hesitate to playfully mock the celebrities in attendance.

He’s adding another award to his collection! Readers of RT voted for their favorite British comedy of the last 15 years, and Ricky Gervais’s After Life won. The show, a touching story about a man named Tony navigating life after his wife’s death, resonated with viewers. Gervais says he’s delighted to receive this recognition.

He believes the show’s recent success, despite ending four years ago, is due to its availability on Netflix, which has a massive audience of 300 million subscribers. He also thinks the show connected with viewers because its themes are relatable and people enjoy seeing their own experiences reflected on screen.

Gervais brilliantly portrays Tony Johnson as a man overwhelmed by deep sadness. Tony finds no happiness in his work at the local newspaper or at home, where he spends his time watching videos of his deceased wife. He even attempts suicide, but ultimately stops to care for Brandy, his charming German Shepherd.

Gervais explains the show wasn’t initially intended to focus on sadness or loss. The idea originated around 2017, when he noticed a growing tendency for people to self-censor due to ‘cancel culture.’ He wanted to create a comedy about a man who simply doesn’t worry about what others think. He thought, ‘What if someone had attempted suicide but didn’t go through with it? What would stop them? Perhaps something as simple as a hungry dog.’ That initial thought sparked the concept, which then evolved into a more complex story.

After the show first aired, people started approaching me and I realized everyone connected with it because they were all dealing with loss – they saw their own experiences reflected in the story. It really struck me that grief doesn’t simply disappear. Someone explained it beautifully: grief is like a heavy backpack – it doesn’t get lighter, you just learn to carry the weight better. That’s why the show became an exploration of grief, and it deeply connected with audiences.

I talked to a friend who volunteers with the Samaritans, and they strongly urged me not to let Tony go through with it. That’s when I really felt the weight of my responsibility. I don’t usually feel accountable for people I don’t know, like a coworker in Slough, or even for the characters I play on TV, but this time was different. I realized I needed to take this seriously and make the effort to do things correctly.

While Ricky Gervais has appeared in movies like the Night at the Museum series and Muppets Most Wanted, he’s best known for the shows and films he’s created, written, directed, and acted in himself. What’s his process for managing all those different roles? And does he usually have a clear vision of the character he’ll play from the start?

He says everything seems to come together naturally in his work. He draws heavily from his own experiences – the places he’s been, the things he’s felt, and the people he’s known. He’s really interested in what makes people tick, especially those everyday emotions like awkwardness, pride, and envy. He believes people are usually more concerned with smaller, immediate things than with big philosophical questions. We live in a relatively comfortable world where major hardships are rare; most of our problems are pretty minor, like dealing with bad service at a restaurant.

David Jason, known for ‘Only Fools and Horses,’ recently explained to RT that the show’s success wasn’t about being a comedy, but about portraying a realistic drama with humorous moments. Ricky Gervais feels the same way about his show, ‘After Life.’ When asked if it’s a comedy or drama, he says it reflects real life – a mix of both. He believes constant jokes become tiresome, and that realism is compelling enough. His shows focus on relatable people simply navigating life with humor, avoiding sensational plot devices like guns or aliens.

Writing for movies means crafting a complete story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Sitcoms, on the other hand, mostly focus on the ongoing middle part. The satisfying moments in a sitcom are usually small, but they can feel huge – like when David Brent finally stood up to Chris Finch on The Office. That felt like a big win.

Ricky Gervais grew up in a family dedicated to caring for others, many of whom worked in the healthcare field. He’s been with his partner, Janet Fallon – a TV producer and novelist recently diagnosed with breast cancer – since 1982. He’s also a generous supporter of animal charities, donating millions. As he puts it, referencing Oprah Winfrey, ‘If you haven’t figured out who you are before fame finds you, fame will define you.’ He adds that he didn’t become financially secure until age 40, and feels his core identity was already established by then.

Want to see this content?

I’ve noticed this page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA to help protect it. Before it loads anything, it politely asks for my permission – which I appreciate! It does this because reCAPTCHA might use cookies to work correctly. If I click ‘Accept and continue,’ it’ll allow reCAPTCHA to do its job and keep things safe.

Ricky Gervais has become incredibly successful in the United States, earning millions and even owning a home in New York. He’s befriended celebrities like Larry David and released several popular stand-up specials on Netflix, including a history-making performance at the Hollywood Bowl. However, his humor still feels distinctly British. He explains that people often question why his characters are so awkward, pointing out that we’re constantly presented with unrealistic portrayals of life – like handsome doctors. He believes there’s more humor to be found in the everyday, relatable experiences of people who look more like him and his friend, David Earl, than a Hollywood star. He argues that cool and handsome isn’t funny; real life isn’t always glamorous.

Coming in second in our best modern comedy poll is Detectorists, a show created by Mackenzie Crook, who also co-starred in The Office with Ricky Gervais. Gervais encouraged Crook to direct the show as well as write it, telling him, “Why are you letting someone else tell you what to do when you’re already on set?” While Detectorists is a more understated and rural comedy than Gervais’s After Life, he believes they share a similar focus on small, realistic details and quiet moments – “nothing big or outlandish, just tiny things. It’s the silences and the natural way people behave.”

Detectorists avoids crude humor and offensive language, which makes one wonder why Gervais often includes it in his other work. He explains he likes to portray a full spectrum of people. Like After Life, it’s a strikingly honest show. Through the character of Tony, with his deep love, simple joys, and appreciation for life’s little things, the series feels deeply personal. The question remains: will Gervais ever create another work that is so broad in scope and revealing of himself?

You know, it’s funny, I don’t think you ever realize you’re evolving while you’re actually going through it. It’s only when you look back that things become clear. My own experiences definitely shaped my work – I spent years in an office, so that found its way into my writing, and then a couple of years in the entertainment industry led to ‘Extras’. Even the character of Derek came from observing my family’s experiences with care homes. But for me, it’s never really about the situation or the circumstances; it’s always the people. If I had to boil down the core message of everything I’ve done, it would be this: we’re all a bit foolish, and that’s perfectly alright.

Authors

Caroline Frost

Read More

2026-05-18 19:42