As Ricky Gervais signs a major new Netflix deal

Ricky Gervais is to make a third series of After Life after signing a new deal with Netflix.

The contract covers new scripted series and stand-up specials, and trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter puts the deal in the ‘eight-figure range’ of $10million to $100million

Gervais said in a statement: ‘I was planning to retire soon and just wander around the house drunk until I die, but I’ve grown a bit tired of doing that during the lockdown, and also Netflix made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.’

The streaming service had already brought his next stand-up special, SuperNature, in a separate deal worth a reported $20million.

The first series of After Life was the second-most-watched series on the streaming service in the UK last year behind fantasy show The Witcher.

Critics have generally been cool towards the second series, which dropped last month, although that doesn’t seem to have dented its popularity.

Last month, Gervais said he would be interested in making a third series if it was ‘a real demanded-for encore’ not just a cash-in.

‘I don’t know about a series three,’ he told the Radio Times. ‘For the first time ever, I would do a series three, because the world’s so rich, I love the characters, I love all the actors in it, I love my character, I love the town, I love the themes… I love the dog!’

The Office, Extras and Derek all ended after two seasons, while Life’s Too Short ran for just one.

Gervais’s co-stars in the latest season of After Life included Tom Basden, Tony Way, Diane, Mandeep Dhillon, Ashley Jensen, Kerry Godliman, Paul Kaye, Joe Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, David Earl, Roisin Conaty, Tracy Ann Oberman, Peter Egan and Colin Hoult.

Read our review of After Life series two here.

Published: 6 May 2020