+ discussion with Ricky Gervais, Penelope Wilton and Diane Morgan
After Life, the critically acclaimed comedy-drama created by and starring Ricky Gervais returns for its final series with six new episodes. Set in the small fictitious town of Tambury, the show follows Tony, a writer for the local newspaper whose life is upended after his wife dies from cancer. Whilst still struggling with immense grief for his wife, Tony starts to realise that making other people feel good is what can give him hope and a reason to live. After all, every end is a new beginning.
Ricky Gervais
Considered one of the most influential British comedians since Charlie Chaplin, (he received the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy 2016 BAFTA/LA) Ricky Gervais is the creator and star of The Office, Extras, Derek, and the critically acclaimed recent Netflix hit After Life.
Gervais has won countless awards, and has enjoyed huge critical success for the outstanding first two series of After Life, with the third due to launch on Netflix on 14 January 2022. His hit series The Office is the most successful British comedy of all time, shown in more than 90 countries with eight remakes.
Following the global success of his Netflix stand-up special Humanity – which was his first in 7 years – Gervais returned to stages once in again in 2019 with his latest stand-up show SuperNature. The tour included 15 nights at the prestigious London Palladium, two nights at Wembley Arena, as well as many sold out venues around the world.
Ricky has hosted the Golden Globes awards five times, in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Penelope Wilton
Dame Penelope Wilton DBE is one of the UK’s most renowned stage and screen actors. Best known for her role in Downton Abbey as Isobel Crawley, she became a household name appearing alongside Richard Briers in the 1984 BBC sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. Other TV credits include playing Homily in The Borrowers and Harriet Jones in Doctor Who and Anne in Ricky Gervais’ After Life.
Penelope has had an extensive career on stage, receiving six Olivier Award nominations, and winning in 2015 for her performance in Taken at Midnight.
Her film appearances include Calendar Girls, Shaun of the Dead, Woody Allen’s Match Point, Pride & Prejudice, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,
The History Boys, and Eternal Beauty. She is currently filming The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Wilton was appointed an OBE in the 2004 New Year Honours and was elevated to become a DBE in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to drama.
Diane Morgan
Diane is a BAFTA nominated actor, writer and director.
She writes, directs and stars in her own original comedy Mandy. The pilot aired in 2019 and following its success was subsequently commissioned for two full series and a Christmas Special, the second series is currently airing on BBC Two.
As an actor Diane is probably best known for her incarnation of professional dim-wit ‘Philomena Cunk’, who originated on Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe. Due of the overwhelming popularity of the character the BBC commissioned two comedy specials and a series fronted by Philomena; BAFTA nominated Cunk on Shakespeare, festive special Cunk on Christmas and 5-part series Cunk on Britain, all of which aired on BBC Two. She will be returning to our screens reprising the role of Cunk later this year with new series Cunk on Earth for BBC Two and Netflix.
Diane stars as regular roles in several hit comedy series including Ricky Gervais’ After Life (Netflix); Sarah Kendall’s Frayed (Sky/HBO Max); Motherland (BBC); The Cockfields series 1 (Gold) and Rovers (Sky). Other recent TV credits include comedy specials Death to 2020 and Death to 2021 starring alongside Hugh Grant, Samuel L Jackson, and Stockard Channing for Netflix and Intelligence for Sky. Diane is also due to feature in Sandman (Netflix) and Inside No. 9 (BBC) both due to be released later this year.
AFTER LIFE (Season 3)
Written and Directed by: Ricky Gervais
©: Netflix Worldwide Entertainment, LLC.
A Netflix series
Production Company: Derek Productions
Filmed with the support of: British Film Institute, British Film Commission, UK Government’s Creative Sector Tax Relief
Created and Executive Produced by: Ricky Gervais
Production Manager: Alison Aird
Line Producer: Hussain Casey-Ahmed
Production Accountant: Daniel Rivett
Script Supervisor: Phillip Trow
First Assistant Director: Matthew Gallagher
Location Manager: Darren Pratt
Casting by: Tracey Gillham
Director of Photography: Martin Hawkins
A Camera Operator: Martin Hawkins
Editor: Mark Williams
Post-production Supervisor: Charlotte Dean
Visual Effects: JAMVFX
Production Designer: Richard Drew
Art Director: Jo White
Property Master: Craig Cheeseman
Costume Designer: Lindsey McClean
Hair & Make-up Designer: Roo Maurice
Original Music Composed by: Andy Burrows
Sound Recordist: Caroline Singh
Boom Operators: Laura Fairbanks, Stephen Lee
Dubbing Mixer: Glenn Calder
Sound Effects Editors: Jack Gillies, Daniel Batt
Dialogue Editor: Steve Berezai
Stunt Co-ordinator: Ray De-Haan
Animal Handler: Stuntdogs & Animals Ltd
Filmed at: Troubadour Theatre Wembley
Covid Supervisor: Simon Marriott
Cast
Ricky Gervais (Tony)
Tom Basden (Matt)
Tony Way (Lenny)
Diane Morgan (Kath)
Kerry Godliman (Lisa)
Ashley Jensen (Emma)
Penelope Wilton (Anne)
Jo Hartley (June)
Joe Wilkinson (postman)
David Earl (Brian)
Ethan Lawrence (James)
Laura Patch (Jill)
Colin Hoult (Ken Otley)
Kath Hughes (Coleen)
Michelle Greenidge (Valerie)
Peter Egan (Paul)
Rob Woodhall (Colin)
Elsie Fallon (Emma’s colleague)
Kate Robbins (Penny Spencer-Wright)
Steve Brody (Geoff)
Jo Enright (Vera)
Wendy Albiston (Brian’s ex-wife)
Ricky Grover (Micky the Gypsy)
Tommy Finnegan (George)
Thomas Bastable (Robbie)
Marc Cass (bad driver)
Dave Hill (old man in care home)
Zak Douglas (estate agent)
Anti (Brandy the dog)
UK 2021©
Episode 1 & 2 44 mins
IN PERSON & PREVIEWS
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Sat 22 Jan 14:00
Silent Cinema presents: South: Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Glorious Epic of the Antarctic + live score
Thu 27 Jan 19:00
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Programme notes and credits compiled by the BFI Documentation Unit
Notes may be edited or abridged
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