RICKY LOSING HIS HUMOR
British funnyman Ricky Gervais is done kidding around.
Gervais, 45, creator of the TV comedies “The Office” and “Extras,” is vowing that his next project will be a television drama.
“We’re not leaving comedy behind, but we’d like to have a go at something more dramatic,” Gervais said Monday at an event held in the U.K. to promote the second season of “Extras.”
The six-episode season, which commenced production in mid-July, is expected to premiere on HBO next year.
According to the U.K. newspaper The Guardian, Gervais has been inspired by the dramatic series he’s seen on American TV.
“All the things we like at the moment are coming out of America, things like ‘The Sopranos’ and ’24’ and ‘The Wire’ and ‘The Shield’ – all these things that we [in the U.K.] just can’t do or don’t do or anything close to it,” Gervais said.
“They’re innovative, audacious, they’re done brilliantly.”
Gervais’ producing partner, Stephen Merchant, said their drama would likely be a co-production with an American company. “Extras” is co-produced by HBO and the BBC.
In the upcoming new season of “Extras,” Gervais’ character, Andy Millman, finally has his script accepted for production, according to The Guardian.
Merchant returns in the role of Millman’s ineffective agent.
Among the real-life stars appearing on “Extras” this season are David Bowie, Orlando Bloom, Robert Lindsay, Ian McKellan and Daniel Radcliffe.
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