Ricky Gervais to feature in new show honouring British sitcoms
Ricky Gervais will feature in Joe and David's Magical Sitcom Tour - which will see comedians Joe Wilkinson and David Earl plan days out for each other based on classic comedies such as The Office, Porridge and Fawlty Towers.
Ricky Gervais is to appear in a new series dedicated to classic British sitcoms.
The 64-year-old comedian will feature in Joe and David's Magical Sitcom Tour, in which comics Joe Wilkinson and David Earl will plan a themed day out for each other based on iconic shows including The Office, Porridge and Fawlty Towers.
Gervais will appear in the episode centred on The Office and will give Joe and David (who both appeared in his hit Netflix series After Life) a performance of Freelove Freeway – which was memorably sung by his alter ego David Brent in the series one episode Training.
Joe and David's Magical Sitcom Tour will air on the channel U+Gold next year.
Wilkinson, 50, commented: "I've been obsessed with sitcoms since I was a lad, so hunting about for locations and other bits and bobs related to some of my favourite shows is like a dream come true... and that's why I refused to take a fee for this job."
Earl said: "I'm very grateful for UKTV for giving us the chance to make this series, something me and Joe have been talking about for ages.
"It honestly feels as though as I've won a competition where the prize is stepping through the TV screen into my favourite sitcom worlds. This 51-year-old man is very happy indeed."
The programme's executive producer Peter Holmes added: "This show is the very definition of that overused TV term 'passion project'.
"Joe and David love sitcoms and their affection for the form and for each other make them the perfect pair to take us on a tour of these comedy classics."
Ricky opted to work with Netflix on After Life and explained that he decided to move away from traditional broadcasters because they "wouldn't be able to deal with" the show's offensive nature.
The Extras star told BBC Radio 5 Live: "They have complaints [systems], so they’re afraid of offending anyone."
Gervais added that he didn't enjoy working with terrestrial networks because of the heavy censorship involved.
He said: "Soon you’re left with the same as everything else.
"We second-guess the public too much. We think, 'Ooh, can they take it?' Of course they can take it.
"People lap it up because they feel like they’re not being patronised.
"Luckily, it’s the best of both worlds with Netflix – it’s huge. Usually, to be uncompromised, I had to go to smaller channels so they’d leave me alone."
