AIRDRIE chat show host Ross Owen got to share a screen with Ricky Gervais – four years after illness denied him the chance to star alongside the world renowned actor and comedian.
Ross has a cameo in an episode of season two of Gervais’ hit Netflix comedy-drama After Life which is one of the top trending – and rated – shows on the streaming giant.
Ross first encountered Gervais when he interviewed him on his self-titled radio show and after the two hit it off, the 50-year-old was offered a background role in Gervais’ 2016 movie David Brent: Life on the Road.
Sadly, illness prevented Laurel and Hardy super fan Ross from starring in the flick – on the very day he was due to film his appearance.
But superstar Gervais jumped at the chance to include Ross in his latest work when the stars aligned to place the pair just a few miles apart earlier this year.
Ross, who worked as a consultant on the critically-acclaimed film Stan & Ollie, explained: “I was down in London doing some filming for a Laurel and Hardy documentary I’m working on, which I had mentioned to Ricky.
“He then contacted me and told me he was starting filming for After Life in Hemel Hempstead that week and told me to come over to shoot a scene.
“Ricky always remembered how gutted I was when I had to pull out of working on David Brent: Life on the Road.
“I was only on set for a few hours but the crew were all lovely, and you could see how happy they were.”
And thanks to Gervais’ kind intervention, Ross’ seven-second appearance in the cafe-set scene was more eye-catching than originally planned.
Ross said: “It was just Ricky, actor Peter Egan and a female extra with me in the scene and I was supposed to be sat where the woman was – with my back to the camera.
“But although the etiquette on set normally means the actors and extras don’t converse very much, Ricky came over to me and asked how I was doing.
“The next thing I knew, he walked over to the cameraman, had a word in his ear and all of a sudden the woman and I swapped seats.
“It meant my face was seen on camera, which I was absolutely delighted with.
“I can’t believe you can see me in such a wonderful TV show.
“I think After Life season two is Ricky’s finest work; you’re laughing loads in the first three episodes and then sobbing like a baby for the next three.”
Ross is no stranger to mixing it up with celebrities, having interviewed film, television, comedy and sporting stars on his radio show, which is broadcast on Black Sky Radio in Kansas and streamed online, and hosted several Q&A events with familiar faces, including wrestler and Scot Squad actor Grado and Still Game’s Paul Riley, in his home town.
His work as an extra has seen him show up in movies Stan & Ollie and Gregory’s Two Girls and TV programmes like Outlander and Cardiac Arrest.
Ross added: “I’ve done a lot of great things but having After Life – one of the top TV shows in the world right now – on my CV is amazing.
“In my head I am still the same guy from Whinhall and if I say thinks like, ‘I’m in After Life’, it’s not because I’m showing off, but because I am genuinely chuffed to bits.”
Life in lockdown has presented Ross with several career challenges – not least the postponement of his much-anticipated Still Game spin-off tour “Still Gaun!” with Paul Riley, Jane McCarry and Mark Cox, three beloved performers from the hit BBC sitcom.
But he remains philosophical about the situation, saying; “You just try to be as creative as you can and stay positive.
“I’m quite a reclusive person off-stage, but there’s a difference when you’re told you can’t actually go out.
“But it could be a lot worse and I am thankful for everything I have; and every day is a day closer to things getting back to normal.”
To find out more about Ross and his projects and upcoming work, visit https://www.therossowenshow.com/ or follow @TheRossOwenShow on Twitter.
– After Life season two is now streaming on Netflix, with the first season’s episodes also available.
