With 'the best of the new breed of great British comedy talent'

The full cast has been unveiled for Ricky Gervais’s new Netflix comedy series, After Life.

Last month, Chortle revealed that Diane Morgan, Kerry Godliman, Tom Basden and Sean McLoughlin all had roles in the show – about a man who decides to say and do whatever he likes, regardless of the consequences. 

Now US website Deadline has disclosed the full cast list, which includes Gervais’s Extras co-star Ashley Jensen and comics Joe Wilkinson, David Earl (known as Brian Gittins on the circuit) and Roisin Conaty, who also appeared in David Brent: Life On The Road 

Also appearing are Downton Abbey  star Penelope Wilton,  Game Of Thrones actors David Bradley and  Tony Way, and Mandeep Dhillon and Jo Hartley (both of whom were also in Life On The Road)

Gervais told Deadline: ‘This cast combines the best of the new breed of great British comedy talent with some of the wonderful alumni of my previous shows.’ 

He plays the lead, Tony, who becomes suicidal after his wife Lisa suddenly dies. However, he decides instead to live long enough to punish the world by acting as he pleases. He thinks it’s like a super power — not caring about himself or anyone else — but it turns out to be tricky when everyone is trying to save the nice guy they used to know.

As well as writing and directing, Gervais will executive produce this six-half hour episodes with Charlie Hanson, who previously worked with him on Derek and Extras.

Production is currently under way in London.

After Life continues his affiliation with Netflix, which distributed Life on the Road and Humanity as a special, as well as his film Special Correspondents. The streaming giant also has the rights to his next live show, SuperNature.

Published: 5 Jul 2018