A multi-millionaire philanthropist to make David Brent proud - Susan Dalgety
What’s not to love about comedian Ricky Gervais. Okay, he is not the most handsome man on earth. And these days, he could be described as a grumpy old man. But he is quite a special human being.
He was the co-creator and co-writer of the classic sitcom The Office and his portrayal of David Brent is surely one of the greatest comic creations of recent years.
He was good friends with David Bowie, even persuading him to play a cameo role in his series Extras. He later recalled Bowie’s time on set as one of the best days of his life. He said, “Because he was a hero of mine. Properly my hero, I’d say.”
In recent years, Gervais has become a bit of a hero himself for his stance on women’s rights. Blunt to the point of rudeness, he has no truck with men who claim they are women, as his stand-up routine makes clear. And following his recent Christmas gift to a range of animal charities across the UK – including Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home – he is a hero to animal lovers everywhere.
In typical Gervais fashion, he made light of his £2.43 million donation. “Merry Christmas critters,” he posted on X as if he had just dropped a £20 a note in a collecting tin for stray dogs.
Gervais is a very rich, with an estimated fortune of £150 million, so he can afford to be generous, but not all uber-wealthy people have the same philanthropic instincts as him. Even his latest role as co-owner of Ellers Farm Distillerybenefits animals. The Yorkshire company produces small batch spirits, crafted from apples, and a quarter of the profits from its best-selling Ginger Spiced vodka goes to the Donkey Sanctuary charity.
I treated myself to a bottle for Christmas, and after a sneaky tasting session I can highly recommend it for the perfect festive cocktail, just add a dash of Diet Coke, a slice of lime and some ice. It tastes sublime and it helps donkeys.
The character David Brent often quipped he wanted to be remembered as, "the man who put a smile on the face of everyone he met. His creator Ricky Gervais looks set to realise that ambition.