Ricky Gervais marks 26 years since redundancy that sparked comedy career

Ricky Gervais marked 26 years since being laid off from his job at XFM radio, which led him to pursue comedy. At 37, he decided to live off his savings for six months to try becoming a comedian. After his redundancy in 1998, Gervais began appearing on late-night shows and co-created "The Office" with Stephen Merchant. The show premiered in 2001, significantly boosting their careers. Gervais is currently on his UK tour "Mortality," which runs until January 28, 2025. He also recently criticized a ban on his vodka ad and celebrated the success of his Netflix special "Armageddon."