Ricky Gervais' unrecognisable in unearthed snaps from surprising pop star past

Comedian Ricky Gervais is best known for his work on TV shows like The Office and After Life, but he once had a brief stint as a pop star - and he looks worlds away from normal

Ricky Gervais, known for his comedic roles in TV sitcoms like The Office, Extras, and After Life, once had a stint as a musician. During this time, he looked completely different, as revealed in unearthed photos. The 63 year old took a trip down memory lane, discussing his early dreams and revealing some snaps that show him in a new light.

Ricky admitted that initially, "first love was science, learning and having a laugh" were his passions, but music quickly "dominated everything for a while". At just 14, he bought his first guitar, which proved difficult to play due to his "soft hands", often leading to expletive-filled outbursts of frustration.

The comedian shared: "I was so annoyed... I would hit the guitar, 'For f*** sake! ' like that and hold it down again... the more you held it down the more your fingers hurt", reports the Express. He persisted and said: "So I had six months of that and then I could sort of play, again it's no revelation that if you try your hardest at something you'll probably get good at it."

Drawn to the "beautiful folk" genre and influenced by artists like Cat Stevens and Simon and Garfunkel, Ricky tried his hand at songwriting but admitted that he didn't quite hit the mark. Reflecting on his early days, he confessed: "It was a very sort of secret pursuit, I don't think I even played to anyone because I knew I wasn't good enough and the songs weren't good enough."

He admitted that initially, he was too shy to perform but later, during his time at University College London, he formed a band with his mate Bill Macrae. They christened their band Seona Dancing and after crafting a 16-song demo tape, they were snapped up by London Records. Images from that period depict Ricky sporting a gelled quiff and Mr Macrae rocking long spiky hair, sometimes dressed in suits and other times in more casual attire.

The promotional photos, taken in 1983, showcase the comedian in a short-sleeved shirt with an oversized scarf draped around him. Ricky struck a number of serious poses for these shots, which were set against a tie-dye-esque blue and white backdrop. Two singles from the keyboard pop duo, Bitter Heart and More to Lose, were released, but neither managed to crack the UK Top 40 Singles Chart.

Seona Dancing soon faded into obscurity, but their song More to Lose became a massive hit in the Philippines and was reported to have been a "teen anthem". Reflecting on his brief stint as a "pop star" during a 2020 episode of the Stuff of Legends podcast, Ricky claimed their success was down to "beginner's luck". Despite releasing "a few songs", they only performed live once at the Camden Palace, now known as KOKO.

He said: "But again, it was all over as quickly as it started, I think that whole thing was two singles and we were out. I realised in retrospect when it went away that my mistake was that I should have wanted to be a musician not a popstar." He shared how this experience altered his view of fame, which subsequently inspired him to write The Office.

Ricky stated: "Then when I came to do this, the second bite of the cherry so to speak, I knew that I wanted to be a writer-director. I didn't just want to be a celebrity, the word still embarasses me, I still say I'm not because I think it's charged with something else. I know I'm a known-person, I know I'm a famous person but I'm famous for something and the word celebrity still embarrasses me."