A photo of Ricky Gervais from his 1980s pop career has resurfaced online, prompting fans to joke that he 'influenced David Bowie'. The 62-year-old comedian, known for creating The Office and After Life, ventured into music in 1983 while a student at University College London.
Alongside university friend Bill Macrae, Gervais formed the new wave duo Seona Dancing. The pair signed with London Records and released two singles, More to Lose and Bitter Heart, but both failed to chart, ending Gervais's pop ambitions.
The clip, shared by Instagram account TerriblyAwesomeCovers, shows Gervais with slicked-back brunette hair, earrings, and an all-white outfit, performing in front of schoolchildren. Fans reacted with surprise and humour, with one commenting, 'Could be a dream sequence from The Office.'
Gervais has previously described himself as 'a frustrated, failed musician'. On The Graham Norton Show in 2016, he joked that he 'sneaks a song into everything' he does, including writing a song with David Bowie for Extras. When shown an old glam photo, he quipped, 'That's called Seona Dancing, let's move on.'
