Ricky Gervais Celebrates Birthday Amid Cheers for 'Alley Cats

WHO:

Deadline - Ricky Gervais, comedian and creator of "The Office" and "After Life"

Variety - Audience members at the Annecy International Animation Festival

WHAT:

Deadline - Gervais presented a sneak peek of his Netflix adult animation "Alley Cats"

Variety - The audience sang "Happy Birthday" to Gervais before the screening of the first two episodes of "Alley Cats"

Variety - Gervais stated, "I hope you like cats. And swearing," during his presentation

WHERE:

Deadline - Annecy International Animation Festival, Bonlieu, France

Deadline - The festival's main venue has a capacity of 1,400

WHEN:

Deadline - The event took place on a Thursday during the Annecy International Animation Festival

WHY:

Deadline - Gervais's "Alley Cats" follows a group of British cats from various walks of society

HOW:

Deadline - Gervais received an enthusiastic response from the audience at the festival

(UPDATED June 25, 2026 11:54 UTC)

Ricky Gervais, the comedian known for "The Office" and "After Life," recently presented a sneak peek of his upcoming Netflix adult animation "Alley Cats" at the Annecy International Animation Festival in Bonlieu, France. Before screening the first two episodes, the audience, which filled the festival's main venue with a capacity of 1,400, sang "Happy Birthday" to Gervais, who humorously remarked, "I hope you like cats. And swearing." The show follows a group of British cats from various walks of society, and Gervais received an enthusiastic response from the audience during his presentation.