Ricky Gervais reveals he’s been inundated with letters from grieving widowers who have connected with his hit Netflix show After Life
Ricky Gervais has revealed he receives many letters from grieving widowers because of his series After Life.
The actor, 58, stars as Tony in the dark comedy whose second series has just been released on Netflix.
The show, written by Gervais, portrays a suicidal local journalist struggling to cope with the loss of his wife Lisa.
Poignant: The success of Ricky Gervais’s show Netflix has led many grieving widowers to send letters to the comedian
The comedian told The Sunday People: ‘I got so many letters. They were like, “I’ve felt like that.”
‘I was much more aware from the audience’s reaction to it. What they related to was how people coped with grief.’
Earlier this week, Gervais had revealed how fans of the hit show approach him in the street to talk about grief.
Dark comedy: The show, written by Gervais, portrays a suicidal local journalist struggling to cope with the loss of his wife Lisa
He told Radio Times: ‘People say to me, “I lost my brother three weeks before, and I was worried about watching it, but I absolutely loved it, it really helps, so thank you.”
‘It’s a proper human connection. I’ve never had that before, an emotional connection.’
The show’s second series, which was released on Friday, shows Tony trying to move on with his life as he progresses though the seven stages of grief.
Gervais said a line from the second series has become even more poignant in the wake of the pandemic which has taken hold after the show stopped filming.
In a flashback scene, Tony’s wife Lisa, played by Kerry Godliman, says how everyone has their own problems and we should value NHS workers.
It comes as Gervais himself lambasted self-pitying celebrities for moaning about their experiences of lockdown from their mansions.
He said on BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘For a start, you won’t hear me complain – not when there’s nurses doing 14-hour shifts – and frontline workers carrying on and risking their health.
Touching: Filmed before the coronavirus pandemic, the show presciently discusses how we should value NHS workers
‘I’m fine. Don’t worry about me… I go for walks on Hampstead Heath, and we’ve got a garden.
‘There are people in high rise blocks with three kids – I can’t complain, this is why millionaires in their mansions with their gym and going for a swim can’t lecture people.
The Derek star concluded: ‘People are sick of being lectured, multi-millionaires telling them to clean out their coffee jar and put it in the right bin – they know those celebs are taking private jets to their private islands. They are sick of it.’
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Critical: The comedian, 58, has hit out at other celebrities moaning about being stuck in lockdown