Justin Dealey,in Hemel Hempsteadand
Danny Fullbrook
Justin Dealey/BBC
The statue is next to a bench, also donated by Netflix
A statue of the dog that starred in the Ricky Gervais series After Life has been unveiled in the town where the Netflix show was shot.
The bronze statue of a German shepherd has been installed by Netflix in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, in partnership with Gervais to celebrate “the invaluable role animals play in our lives and our shows”.
It is in memory of the show’s canine star, Vislor Antilly, who died in January.
The statue stands next to a bench which was donated to the town by Netflix and suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably.
In After Life, Tony, played by Gervais, often sits on a bench in the churchyard where his wife is buried, finding comfort in the company of his loyal dog Brandy, played by Antilly.
Local businesses are optimistic that the statue will draw visitors to the town.
Submitted
Vislor Antilly starred with Ricky Gervais in After Life
Opposite the statue is a shop called The House of Elliott, run by Michelle Elliott.
The dog lover said: “It’s lovely to have this next to the bench in the old town.
“We’ve had a lot of visitors visiting the bench in particular and wanting to know where it was all filmed.
“So this will just further add to the promotion of the area.”
Justin Dealey/BBC
The statue is in memory of the canine star who died earlier this year
The shopkeeper has fond memories of filming taking place in the town, especially as her shop was used in a scene.
“I was so pleased he chose my shop to do that… charming man and I’m very lucky,” she said.
Vislor Antilly also visited the shop with her owner.
Ms Elliott said: “The owner came one day and brought the dog to my shop. She was behind the counter with her paws on the counter. It was so cute – such a lovely dog.”
Justin Dealey/BBC
Residents and business owners hope the statue will give Hemel Hempstead a boost
Ben Cleveland, 41, assistant manager at The Old Bell pub, served Gervais when he was in town for filming.
The venue was used as a green room for the show’s second season.
“It’s quite nice to see stuff done by Netflix, paying back to the community,” Mr Cleveland said.
