Ricky Gervais wants to keep making one TV show ‘until he dies’

Ricky Gervais knows that all good things must come to an end.

That’s why he ended The Office and Extras after just two seasons and a Christmas special, while After Life ran for three.

Still, turns out that the 65-year-old comedian wants one of his shows to go on ‘forever’.

Specifically, Stephen Merchant’s former co-writer would be quite happy if his new Netflix animated series Alley Cats never ended.

‘It’s the first thing I’ve ever created that I’d like to go on forever. I can see myself just making this show till I die,’ he told The Mirror.

‘The cats won’t age, and it doesn’t matter how fat and old and bald I get.

‘Someone can just put me in a chair with a microphone, surrounded by the rest of the cast, and off we go. It won’t really matter when senility kicks in, as I’m usually talking b* anyway. It’s the dream job.’

Alley Cats, which is released on August 7, might be Ricky’s most original Netflix series to date.

Unlike After Life, which followed a curmudgeonly human who liked to swear but secretly had a heart of gold, this new series follows a curmudgeonly cat who likes to swear and secretly has a heart of gold.

Different sitcoms for different needs.

Anyway, Ricky clearly understands that bold new ideas can frighten people and he’s already pre-empted a backlash.

‘It would take a very special kind of person to complain about what a fictional cartoon cat thought of something, but it will happen,’ he said.

‘Please don’t be offended by anything these characters say or do. They can’t help it. They’re cats. So sometimes, they’re s****.’

This isn’t the first time Ricky’s defended the show from would-be critics.

Just the other day during a YouTube live stream, the After Life creator dodged questions about Stephen Merchant’s location, people asking about little monkey fellas, and suggestions for Rockbuster clues to talk about the show.

He warned about ‘everyone getting [Alley Cats] wrong’ and talking about ‘one bloke who did a whole article about what a terrible series it was from a one-minute trailer’.

Of course, Ricky’s critics might argue that they’re not offended by a cat dropping a C-bomb; it’s more that the series looks lazy, as would be clear to anyone who watched the trailer.

Not me though… I like it.

And to those saying Ricky’s phoning it in, given up, or getting money for old rope, well he’s clearly putting the work in to the show and you’ve got to do the work.

After all, he’s assembled the ‘Avengers of British comedy’ to star in Alley Cats.

We’re talking Tom Basden (After Life), David Earl (Derek and After Life), Kerry Godliman (Derek and After Life), Jo Hartley (After Life) and Diane Morgan (After Life).

‘I cast my usual gang of comedy chums, because I know exactly what they’re capable of,’ Ricky said about his incredible cast.

‘They can stay in character, drive the plot, stick to the screenplay, and go completely off-piste whenever the moment demands it.’

Alley Cats will be available on Netflix from August 7.