Viral 'tubby little ginger c***' actor sent Ricky Gervais a thank you card for 'After Life' return

The child actor who went viral after being called a “tubby little ginger c***” by Ricky Gervais on his Netflix show After Life will return in the second series, Gervais has confirmed.

Thomas Bastable sent the comedian a card thanking him for allowing him to reprise his role, which Gervais shared with his 13 million Twitter followers.

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The nine-year-old actor wrote: “To Ricky, thank you for letting me pop up in season 2 of After Life. It was really kind of you to keep your promise. I know you didn’t have to. From Thomas, AKA tubby little ginger”

Thomas also drew a picture of himself yelling the word “paedo” — a reference to his memorable scene in the first season of the show.

His character, Robbie, shouts the insult at Gervais’ character, Tony, and he responds: “I'm not a paedo and, if I was, you'd be safe, you tubby little ginger c***.”

The clip racked up millions of views on YouTube when it was uploaded as a preview of the show, with some criticising the gag for going too far.

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In After Life, Gervais portrays a man dealing with grief after the death of his wife from cancer who decides against committing suicide and instead decides to say whatever he wants.

The series premiered on Netflix in March 2019 and was renewed for its second season just a few weeks later.

It received strong reviews from critics, despite fan criticism over recycled jokes, and currently sits at a 71% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The site’s critical consensus reads: “After Life's first season teeters tonally between dark comedy and affecting drama, but Ricky Gervais' poignant performance illuminates new sides of the actor's talent.”

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The first season of After Life remains available on Netflix and Gervais has said the second season may not be the last.