Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais

Date of birth: 25-06-1961

A late entrant to the world of comedy, Gervais only started to try to tap his talent for making people laugh in 1998, at the age of 36.

Before that, he had spent seven years spent as an entertainments manager for a student union.

And his initial ambitions were musical, playing in a failed Eighties band called Seona Dancing.

He later, briefly, managed the band Suede, before landing a job on London's XFM radio station where he started developing a taste for comedy, and a character called Seedy Boss who would later become The Office's David Brent.

 

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© Netflix / Matt Crockett

Netflix sets release date for Ricky Gervais's Alley Cats

Cast includes a raft of After Life co-stars

Ricky Gervais's animated series Alley Cats will launch on August 7, Netflix has announced.

In the six-part adult comedy, which has been described as a ‘slacker sitcom’, Gervais voices one of a group of feral British cats n who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life.

The slogan for the show is: 'Nine lives, zero fucks.'

Gervais as previously said: ’I play a fat, lazy, rude, opinionated creature with fangs, who’s not as smart or brave as he thinks he is. So quite a stretch.’

Alley Cats

Alley Cats will get its first public screening at the Annecy international animation film festival in France on June 25 where Gervais will appear in person to discuss the show. The first two episodes – each running for around 15 minutes. – will be shown exclusively at the event ahead of the August premiere.

The cast includes several of Gervais's After Life collaborators – Kerry Godliman, Diane Morgan, David Earl, Tony Way, Jo Hartley,  Tony Way,  Andrew Brook and Tom Basden– alongside EastEnders star  Natalie Cassidy.

The series is produced by London-based animation studio Blink Industries, whose previous work includes Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.

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Published: 7 May 2026

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