Gervais animation to air in UK

Channel 4 has bought the rights to the animated series based on Ricky Gervais’s podcast.

The broadcaster is expected to air the 13-part Ricky Gervais Show from March, about a month after the shows air on HBO in the States.

Gervais said ‘Channel 4, like HBO, is the perfect home for this show, as they acquire innovative, cutting edge programmes such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Sopranos. Like The Sopranos, Channel 4 made me an offer I couldn't refuse.’

The show, which will premiere on HBO on February 19, adds Hanna-Barbera style animation to the musings of Gervais, Stephen Merchant and their sidekick Karl Pilkington, who Gervais describes as ‘a global village idiot, but the funniest man alive’. 

‘Karl is a bottomless well of stupidity, so unlike The Office and Extras, which I stopped prematurely through fear of going stale and running out of ideas, I want this to run and run like The Simpsons. The world has a new Homer, but this one is real.’

Gervais added: ‘Who'd have thought three blokes chatting in a room would turn out to be so lucrative'.

Here’s a clip from the new show:

Published: 4 Dec 2009