Ricky Gervais’ controversial ‘rejected’ tube advert debunked by TfL

Ricky Gervais’ ‘rejected’ tube advertisements have been addressed by Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) has addressed claims made by comedian Ricky Gervais regarding advertisements for his Dutch Barn vodka that he said were rejected from London Underground stations.

The 64-year-old actor shared images of the adverts on social media, including one featuring him with the caption: “Welcome to London. Don’t forget your stab vest.” His posts prompted some users to falsely suggest that Gervais had personally funded the campaign and that London Mayor Sadiq Khan had intervened to block the ads.

TfL clarified to Metro that they had not reviewed these advertisements. A spokesperson said: “These adverts were never referred to TfL or their advertising partners for consideration. Alternative creatives for Dutch Barn have been accepted and are running on our network.”

The comedian also shared a series of other tongue-in-cheek ads, including one that read: “One day you’ll be underground for good.” Gervais explained that the ad was rejected because it could be interpreted as suggesting excessive drinking due to life’s brevity. Other playful captions included lines like: “Your tube driver’s favourite drink in the morning.”

Reactions from fans were mixed. Some praised the adverts as humorous, while others criticized them as insensitive.

Gervais, best known for The Office, Life’s Too Short, and Derek, has a history of provocative humour. Earlier this year, he drew attention for a controversial Hollywood Walk of Fame speech in which he joked about sharing the honour with celebrities accused of misconduct, acknowledging the mix of admiration and controversy in the industry.