DON'T be surprised if you see Hollywood star Ricky Gervais at the Stadium of Light in the not too distant future - for the actor and comedian has revealed Sunderland helped him fall back in love with football.

Gervais, star of The Office, played football when he was younger but lost interest in the sport until a few years ago, when he started watching games during covid lockdown.

But what really spiked Gervais' interest was watching Sunderland 'Till I Die on Netflix.

The 63-year-old has no prior association with the Black Cats, but was blown away when he watched the series by just how much the football club means to the people of the city.

And since watching the series, Gervais has been "hooked" on other football documentaries and fallen back in love with the sport.

"I love it now," said Gervais, who was the special guest on The Overlap podcast with former Sunderland boss Roy Keans and Black Cats fan Jill Scott.

"I went off it for about 30 years.

"I wasn't against it. I played at school and played until I was about 30, but I think probably at the age of 30 to 60, I gave up. I didn't really have a team. I watched England whenever they were playing.

"I got back into it in covid in lockdown. What really got me back into it was the documentary Sunderland 'Till I Die.

"I loved that show. It was the fact it was like a religion to them, the whole community was involved. I saw the struggle of the players and the finances and the manager.

"Then I watched the Man City one and Leeds one and Arteta one and I'm hooked. I watch every game on TV and I love it again."

At this point, Jill Scott intervened and said: "So Sunderland made Ricky Gervais fall in love with football again?"

To which the actor replied: "I guess so."