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The Ricky Gervais Show debuts Feb. 19 on HBO

By April MacIntyre Dec 22, 2009, 17:21 GMT

Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

Ricky Gervais, who nailed the sad worldwide celebrity driven news obsession on his HBO "Extras" series and has starred in TV and numerous film roles will be featured in a 13-episode animated comedy series based on his record-breaking podcast, on Friday, Feb. 19 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.  

Voiced by Gervais, his longtime collaborator Stephen Merchant and colleague and friend Karl Pilkington, whose offbeat musings inspire many of the storylines, the show’s debut will be followed by the second-season debut of “The Life and Times of Tim.”

The Ricky Gervais Show animates podcasts that first appeared on The Guardian website, and subsequently earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most downloads. 

Topics covered include:  the merits of 20th century inventions; Karl’s suggestion for population control; philosophy through the ages; Karl’s round head; and thoughts on charity. 

Regular features include a “Monkey News” segment and excerpts from Karl’s journal, read by Stephen.

This is the second collaboration between HBO and Media Rights Capital, following “The Life and Times of Tim,” which debuted on the network in 2008, and returns for its second season in February.

Gervais’ previous HBO credits include the series “Extras,” which garnered an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series; the show was written and directed by Gervais and Merchant, who were also creators of the Golden Globe-winning BBC comedy series “The Office.”