‘When the tie goes on Brent takes over’: life as a comedy character lookalike

Is the pay really that good? Do you get bored? What was your worst gig? We ask ‘David Brent’, ‘Nessa’ and ‘Ali G’ what it’s actually like to make your money by being the spit of someone else’s comic creation

I am waiting for David Brent outside a Wetherspoon’s in the Birmingham NEC. It’s 11am and it’s eerily quiet, like a gutted shopping centre after a zombie apocalypse, save for a small huddle of drinkers in the pub. Suddenly there’s the star of The Office strutting through the exhibition centre suited, booted, goateed, and ready to rock the NRLA 2024 Landlord Conference. But first we sit down for an interview. “Shoot,” he says, while making a gun with his fingers, before doing an awkward shuffle of his tie as he unfurls that unmistakable grimace. Look closer, though, and it’s clear that this isn’t Brent as performed by Ricky Gervais, but by someone else entirely..

Tim Oliver has been performing as David Brent for 20 years now. Before that he ran a successful events business in Sussex but his face was calling out for a new career turn. “It took me a good 18 months to come to terms with the fact that I looked like him,” he says. “Like this weird, awkward boss who just wanted to be loved. People started coming up to me all the time, so I just thought it’d be criminal not to do something with it.”

Topics

An Italian man gets life in prison for killing ex-girlfriend in case that fueled national outrage

A 22-year-old Italian man who confessed in court to killing his ex-girlfriend was convicted of her murder on Tuesday and sentenced to life in prison in a case that fueled national outrage over ...
ABC News - 14h
Nicholas Hoult is a man of character — and it's keeping him busy

'What I enjoy doing is trying to disappear and not do the same thing over and over again,' says the actor with three recent releases: 'Juror #2,' 'The Order' and 'Nosferatu.'
Los Angeles Times - 21h
Dark comedy 'A Different Man' surprisingly triumphs at Gotham Awards

In a surprise that stunned the audience of Hollywood’s first big awards-season bash, “A Different Man,” a dark comedy about doppelgängers, deformity and authenticity in acting, won best feature ...
ABC News - 18h
Ashley Young eyes 'dream' FA Cup tie against son

Everton defender Ashley Young could be in for a dream family clash in the FA Cup third round when his side take on Peterborough United, where his 18-year-old son Tyler plays.
ESPN - 20h
Transgender care for minors goes before SCOTUS

Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story SCOTUS to hear first case on transgender care for minors On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments ...
The Hill - 9h
What to Do When Your Employee Is Grieving

It’s National Grief Awareness Week. Here’s how business leaders can better lead their teams through times of loss.
Inc. - 13h
India’s Chandler Bing, Poland’s David Brent, Mexico’s Gossip Girl: stars of TV hit remakes reveal all

What’s it like to be cast in a local version of a global smash? From the Colombian Breaking Bad to the Indian 24 and the Dutch EastEnders, we find out. Cyrus Broacha, 53, played Cyrus, the ...
The Guardian - 14h
A Home Library Can Tell Your Life Story

These interior designers have strategies for creating personal spaces for reading, whether it is in a dedicated room or a welcoming corner in your house.
The New York Times - 22h
Killer in femicide that shocked Italy sentenced to life in jail

Giulia Cecchettin was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2023, sparking an outpouring of grief and soul-searching.
BBC News - 16h