HIS comedy series After Life has proved such a global smash that Netflix bosses are begging Ricky Gervais for more.
He has already signed a £5million deal to write a third season of the show — in which he plays local paper reporter Tony Johnson as he tries to cope after the death of his wife.
But now the streaming giant is trying to get Ricky to create a Christmas special too.
Insiders reveal the comic has been asked to meet Netflix bosses this month to discuss a festive episode, and a TV source said: “Ricky is a huge asset to Netflix as everything he writes essentially turns to gold.
“There is such a huge appetite for After Life and it’s got a massive fan base.
“The third series won’t air until 2021 so there is a meeting in the diary to see if Ricky could create the Christmas special.
“It would just be a stand-alone episode, possibly one hour if Ricky thinks it would work.
“The only headache currently is the pandemic, but the fact that major shows like Coronation Street and EastEnders are filming again is giving them hope.”
Ricky has great history with TV specials. The two-parter for The Office was the best ever written. One thing’s for sure, After Life’s will be a real tear-jerker.
Bizbit
JOHN TORODE has revealed he asked Lisa Faulkner out on their first date by penning her a letter.
The couple, who host ITV’s John And Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, are now happily married.
So it’s safe to say that worked.
Rose-cheeked jolly Holly
HOLLY Willoughby dazzled as she returned to This Morning in a yellow dress yesterday.
But she was looking more frazzled by the end of the show after she had sipped seven glasses of rosé.
Holly and co-host Phillip Schofield were sampling different versions of her favourite tipple alongside wine expert Helen McGinn, who assisted the pair remotely from home.
It ended up with Holly slurring her words in what will go down as one of This Morning’s most memorable moments.
It was like watching Kerry Katona all over again . . .
Statham almost a Blinder
PEAKY Blinders and Cillian Murphy go hand in hand.
But Steven Knight, who created the BBC drama, initially cast Jason Statham as Brummie gang leader Tommy Shelby – only to be swayed by a text from Cillian.
Steven said: “I met them both in LA to talk about the role and opted for Jason. One of the reasons was because physically in the room Jason is Jason.
“Cillian when you meet him isn’t Tommy, obviously, but I was stupid enough not to under-stand that.”
In a chat with Esquire magazine, Steven continued: “Afterwards, he me sent a text saying, ‘Remember, I’m an actor’.
“Which is absolutely the thing because he can transform himself. If you meet him in the street he is a totally different human being.”
He definitely made the right decision in the end.
Bizbit
AFTER posting a selfie on Instagram, former Corrie star Kym Marsh hit back at someone who suggested she’d had Botox.
Referring to the current lockdown, she replied: “Well, if I had Botox it would have worn off by now, wouldn’t it?”
Havers savours
NIGEL Havers joined in the spirit of his new BBC1 auction programme The Bidding Room – and ended up splashing out £500 with colleagues on a vintage bottle of wine.
The host of the new daytime game show – on weekdays at 3.45pm on BBC1 from June 8 – said: “A woman brought in a bottle of Chateau Palmer 1959.
“I know a lot about wine and a lot about Chateau Palmer.
“I couldn’t resist going into the dealers’ room. Three dealers and I bought it for £500. We tried it that night. It was worth every penny.”
Must watch
WHAT? Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? ITV, 8pm.
WHY? Jeremy Clarkson returns to front another 20 helpings of Britain’s best-loved game show, where contestants stand a chance of winning a seven-figure jackpot.
MOST READ IN BIZARRE
BBC1 soap Doctors has recorded a special 45-minute episode exploring life in lockdown.
In the daytime show, The Mill surgery remains open to patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with the show’s characters continuing to work.
Airing on June 12, it was self-shot by the cast at home on their mobile phones over the course of five days.
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