Ricky Gervais reveals why he fell in love with football again – after The Office star ‘went off the game for 30 years’

Ricky Gervais has revealed how he fell back in love with football after a 30-year break when the comedian joined the Stick to Football podcast.

The comedian was a guest on the podcast, joining regulars Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Roy Keane and Ian Wright.

His longevity in comedy was discussed on the podcast, with Gervais being asked about the success of The Office.

A famous clip from the series showed Gervais’ character David Brent declaring “I fucking love football” as he dribbled a ball around the office.

Gervais was asked on the podcast about his own love of football, with the 63-year-old admitting that he had only recently fallen back in love with the game.

The Office and After Life star revealed how watching football documentaries during the Covid lockdowns had drawn him back into the game.

The Office and After Life star revealed he is now addicted to football and watches ‘every game’

Gervais particularly emphasized that the Netflix series ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ helped reignite his love for the game.

‘Yes, I love it [football] now. I stopped doing it for about 30 years! I wasn’t anti-football, I played at school, and I even played football until I was about 30,” Gervais said on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky bet.

‘I probably stopped between the ages of thirty and sixty [playing] – I didn’t have a team. I watched England twice a year when they played.

“I was aware of everything, but I got back into it during COVID during the lockdown, when they played those games without an audience.

‘I got so into it and what really got me back into it was a documentary: Sunderland ‘Til I Die. I loved that show – the fact that it was like a religion to them.

‘The whole community was involved, it was a really well made documentary, then I saw the struggles of the players, the finances, the manager.

‘Then I looked at the Manchester City one, the Leeds one, the [Mikel] Arteta one, and I was hooked. Now I’m fascinated by it, I watch every match that’s on TV.’

The first ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ series, released in 2018, showcased the Black Cats’ attempts to return to the top flight at the first attempt.

The documentary received widespread praise as it explored Sunderland fans’ support for their club, which ultimately saw the club relegated to League One for the second time in a row.

Gervais revealed that the documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die had inspired his new love for football

The comedian admitted that he “loved the show,” which highlighted the team’s struggles

Ex-Sunderland director Charlie Methven has earned comparisons to David Brent in the series

Gervais’ character David Brent declared “I fucking love football” in a famous segment of The Office

A second series followed in 2020, and a third was released earlier this year to chart the club’s promotion to the Championship.

Former Sunderland director Charlie Methven had become a surprise star of the second series amid his attempts to revive the struggling club.

Speaking to Mail Sport in 2020, Methven had pushed back on the comparisons between him and Gervais’ famous character David Brent in The Office.

The director was described as a ‘gentrified Del Boy, who acts a bit like David Brent and has the furious, unapologetic ambition of Gordon Gekko’.

‘Del Boy and Gordon Gekko were the heroes of the eighties when I was growing up, so that was a big compliment!’ Methven told Mail Sport.

“But David Brent…he definitely wants to be liked, and I don’t think that can be said against me.”

Ricky Gervais spoke on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky bet