Gervais unveiled the billboard at Bank station and urged his followers to snap and share it.
Ricky Gervais has once again taunted London’s mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan — this time with a brazen Tube ad promoting his Dutch Barn vodka, which takes aim squarely at the capital’s rampant phone theft problem. The comedian, who co-owns the brand, is seen in the poster raising a glass with the tagline: “Welcome to London. Hold on to your phone.”
Gervais unveiled the billboard at Bank station and urged his followers to snap and share it — warning that it came at a serious cost and might be pulled if enough people object. The stunt underscores his ongoing campaign to spotlight crime — and generate buzz — through his vodka’s marketing. His move follows months of controversy. Earlier this year, Gervais claimed that Transport for London (TfL) repeatedly rejected his more provocative ads.
Another Ricky Gervais billboard was rapidly pulled by the Mayor (Image: Ricky Gervais)
Mock-up slogans he shared on social media included: “Welcome to London. Don’t forget your stab vest,” “One day you’ll be underground for good,” and even, “Your tube driver’s favourite drink in the morning.”
TfL, however, hit back hard, saying the rejected ads “were never referred” to their advertising partners and that alternative creatives for Dutch Barn had actually been accepted and are currently live on the network.
Unmoved, Gervais went on a profanity-laced rant, calling the decision-makers “cowardly fing cs” and accusing them of censoring his creativity. In a follow-up post, he invited fans to buy his vodka directly via the Dutch Barn website and offered a year’s supply through a mailing-list promotion — telling his audience to screw the censors.
Gervais’ campaign is more than just shock marketing — it appears tap into a real and growing public frustration. London has become notorious for mobile phone theft. In 2024 alone, an estimated 80,000-plus phones were stolen, according to city crime-watchers, reported the Telegraph.
The Metropolitan Police also launched a major crackdown this year, arresting more than 200 suspects and recovering over 1,000 stolen devices in a week-long operation.
Commanders within the Met have admitted the force’s response has not been “good enough,” and the public has grown increasingly vocal about the lack of accountability.
A TfL spokesman defended their record, telling the media that the police are working “around the clock” to catch mobile-phone thieves and dismantle the handlers and organised crime rings behind the thefts.
But for Gervais, who has built a brand on provocative wit, the ad serves a dual purpose: promoting Dutch Barn vodka and criticising the safety climate in London under Mr Khan.
