Ricky Gervais
Perhaps best known as one of the key driving forces behind the BBC comedy The Office, this English born comedian, writer and director has also authored several children’s books, worked in radio, and recently wrote an episode for the iconic comedy series The Simpsons.
Born on June 25, 1961, in Berkshire, Ricky Gervais lived a self-described normal childhood. He graduated from the University College London, and gained his first experience as a performer when he was the lead singer of the group Seona Dancing. Although one of their singles became a massive hit in the , the group did not make any notable achievements in their home.
After starring in the relatively unnoticed 1998 sitcom Golden Years, Ricky took over Ali G’s segment on the satirical comedy The 11 O’Clock Show. His obnoxious, expletive-spewing character on the comedy resulted in national recognition and attention for Gervais.
in 2000, Gervais and The Office co-writer and producer Stephen Merchant would finally get their big break when their home-made pilot for the series was bought by the BBC. The first six episodes of the series aired in the summer of 2001, initially receiving little attention. Through word of mouth, and repeats allowing viewers to see what all the buzz was about, however, the second six episodes, which aired in September of 2002, were a hit. The Office topped the BBC Two ratings, and aired on the larger BBC One channel in 2003 for its final two episodes.
The show also spawned a spin-off, with Steve Carrell playing Gervais part in the rendition.
Gervais is also the creative force behind, and star of, the sitcom Extras. Airing first in 2005, it has featured cameos by Ben Stiller, Kate Winslet, Samuel L Jackson, Orlando Bloom and Robert De Niro during its year on the air.
Aside from his two highly successful shows, Ricky has also spent considerable time touring as a stand-up comedian, and his stylings have been released on DVD and aired on television. He is already planning another tour for 2007. Gervais is the author of several popular children’s books entitled Flanimals, More Flanimals and Flanimals of the Deep, proving that people of all ages can appreciate this Brit’s unique sense of humor.
It seems as though Gervais’s popularity only increases as time goes on. After producing twelve new episodes of The Ricky Gervais Show, which originally aired on XFM radio in 1998, the first new episode was made available in podcast format in December of 2005. It also featured Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, the two co-stars of the original audio comedy. Since that time, it has had over 8 million downloads, making it the world’s most downloaded podcast according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Most recently, he appeared in the film For Your Consideration, also featuring Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, and Catherine O’Hara. Ricky is also in the process of adapting his first children’s book into a six-episode series.
The multi-talented funny man has received many awards and honors throughout his career. The newspaper The Observer listed him as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy, and a poll by fellow comedians and comedy insiders reached the same conclusion in 2005, naming him one of the top 50 comedy acts ever. The Office is the single project that has brought him the most praise, however, receiving two Golden Globes, and numerous British Academy Television Awards and British Comedy Awards.
Ricky’s long-time partner is British television producer Jane Fallon. The pair have known each other for over twenty years. |
