Reckless Ricky

Ricky Gervais is back with a new role as an embittered widower.

Ricky Gervais has made his name saying and doing whatever he likes. Whether it’s in his stand-up, on Twitter, or presenting awards ceremonies, the 57-year-old has made a fortune by saying the unsayable. So it was only a matter of time before the star of The Office created a character who does exactly the same.

In his new six-part Netflix comedy series After Life, Gervais plays Tony, a small-town journalist who thinks everything is perfect – until the death of his beloved wife Lisa plunges him into despair.

First he contemplates suicide, but then he decides to live long enough to ‘punish the world’ by saying and doing whatever he likes. Which is all very well (and very funny), but it turns out to be tough not to care about anyone when all of Tony’s workmates care so much about him.