A famous face was spotted at a local pub in Devon yesterday (Saturday, May 2). Actor and comedian Stephen Merchant visited The Hope & Anchor Inn in Hope Cope at around 7pm and was described as a “lovely” guest.
The team at the Hope & Anchor posted a photo of their celebrity customer on Facebook, captioning it: “A wonderful busy day and joined by the wonderful Stephen Merchant and his family for a meal visiting Hope Cove”.
Speaking to Devon Live, manager Abi said: “I knew straight away who he was. He was lovely. He’s very very nice.”
According to Abi, the Hot Fuzz star ordered a seafood linguine and went on to leave a generous tip. A frequent collaborator with Ricky Gervais, Merchant played a huge role in the development of The Office and Extras.
In addition to writing and directing, he’s also had acting roles in films like Jojo Rabbit, The Invention of Lying, and The Girl in the Spider’s Web. Gamers might also recognise him from his iconic turn as Wheatley in Portal 2.
The Hope & Anchor Inn is a popular pub near Kingsbridge. They enjoy largely positive reviews, with 4.5/5 star rating out of over 1900 Google reviews at time of writing.