Hollywood megastar Ricky Gervais has revealed that Sunderland was instrumental in reigniting his passion for football. After falling out of love with the sport for over 30 years, Gervais credits the docu-series Sunderland ‘Til I Die for drawing him back into the beautiful game. This admission came during an appearance on The Overlap, where he joined former Sunderland player Jill Scott, ex-Black Cats manager Roy Keane, and football legends Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, and Ian Wright.
Gervais, whose net worth is estimated at a staggering £126 million, shared that he rediscovered football during the COVID-19 lockdown, watching crowd-less matches out of curiosity. However, it was Sunderland ‘Til I Die that truly rekindled his love for the sport. The Netflix series, which chronicles the highs and lows of Sunderland’s journey, captured his attention with its emotional storytelling and depiction of the club’s struggles under various owners, including Ellis Short, Stewart Donald, and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.
The comedian expressed admiration for the series, saying, “I just love that show. It was the fact that it was like a religion to them—the whole community was involved. I thought it was a really well-made thing, and I saw the struggle of the players, the financiers, and the manager.” Gervais added that the show left him wanting more, sparking a binge of other football documentaries like those featuring Manchester City, Leeds United, and Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. This newfound interest soon turned into a full-blown obsession, with Gervais now avidly watching every televised match.
When Jill Scott remarked, “So Sunderland made Ricky Gervais fall back in love with football? There’s your headline,” Gervais chuckled and agreed, saying, “I guess so.” The revelation adds a unique twist to the widespread impact of Sunderland ‘Til I Die, proving that the club’s story resonates far beyond the pitch.
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