Ricky Gervais has unleashed a profanity-laden tirade against advertising authorities after multiple promotional campaigns for his vodka brand Dutch Barn were allegedly blocked from appearing across London’s transport network.
The comedian took to social media on Sunday afternoon to express his frustrations with what he called censorship of his advertisements, some of which featured dark humor that regulators apparently deemed inappropriate for public display.
Among the rejected content was an advertisement intended for London Underground stations showing Gervais with a beverage and the caption: “One day you’ll be underground for good.”
According to the comedian, authorities rejected it over concerns it might encourage excessive consumption.
“Who’s f**king thinking that?” Gervais asked incredulously in his video message. “Oh my god, cowardly f**king cunts.”
The comedian went on to describe another advertisement that took an entirely different approach, reading information directly from government websites about the risks associated with certain products. That too was rejected, he claimed, suggesting regulators “don’t like the truth either because that puts off other advertisers.”
The timing of Gervais’ post proved particularly controversial, coming just hours before a mass stabbing incident occurred on a train traveling from Doncaster to King’s Cross station in London.
The attack left 11 people hospitalized, with nine suffering life-threatening injuries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “deeply concerning.”
The Office star’s social media post subsequently garnered significant attention, being viewed more than 1.5 million times on X following the stabbing.
However, Transport for London has disputed the comedian’s account of events. In a statement provided to media outlets, TfL 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.”
In response to the advertising rejections, Gervais announced he would bypass traditional marketing channels entirely, instead selling directly to consumers through the Dutch Barn website. He encouraged followers to sign up for the company’s mailing list, where customers could enter to win a year’s supply of the product.
The comedian concluded his message by noting that the brand also supports donkey sanctuaries, signing off with: “So save donkeys, f**k censors, Dutch Barn.”
