Ricky Gervais

Richard Dene Gervais is a comedian, writer, actor and author from Reading, England.http://movies.nytimes.com/person/373404/Ricky-Gervais/biography Gevais' first television series The Office, which he co-wrote and starred in, was the highest-selling British television series of all time and spawned several adaptations across the world. Gervais has also starred in several films, hosted a podcast and toured the world as a stand-up comedian.http://movies.nytimes.com/person/373404/Ricky-Gervais/biography

In 2011, Gervais hosted to Golden Globe awards for the second consecutive year.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8464994.stm Before the show, Gervais promised he would not hold back when joking about fellow celebrities.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8464994.stm However, Washington Post reviewer Hank Stuever called Gervais "bombadier" and said his jokes were lame.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/16/AR2011011604722.html The show attracted 17 million viewers, a slight increase on the previous year.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/17/golden-globes-broadcast-ratings_n_809966.html In February 2011, Gervais said he had refused an offer to host the show for a third year.http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/and-now-a-clarification-from-ricky-gervais/?src=mv The Hollywood Foreign Press denied making Gervais any offer.http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/and-now-a-clarification-from-ricky-gervais/?src=mvhttp://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/and-now-a-clarification-from-ricky-gervais/?src=mv

Gervais was born in Reading, England on June 25, 1961.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 He grew up in a working class environment with his father, a laborer, his mother, a homemaker, and three older siblings.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 Gervais excelled at school and went on the study philosophy at University College London (UCL).http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 After graduating, Gervais continued to work for the university's entertainment department before landing a job with London radio station XFM.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 At XFM Gervais hired future collaborator Steven Merchant to be an assistant.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 Ricky hosted his own, late night show on XFM but left the station when it was bought by another company.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 

Gervais spent appearing in and writing for British film and television.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 While working on a talk show call Meet Ricky Gervais, he and Merchant began working on a story for The Office.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0The show was picked up by the BBC in 2001, and lasted two seasons before Gervais and Merchant decided to end it.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 During its two year stint, the show won numerous awards and rated highly in the United Kingdom.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0

Gervais and Merchant followed up the success of The Office with another BBC series called Extras.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0In Extras Gervais was joined onscreen by Merchant as well as cameos from Hollywood stars such as Robert DeNiro, Orlando Bloom, Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller.http://www.tv.com/extras/show/33212/trivia.html?flag=1&tag=show_trivia;paginator;2&season=2 The show also enjoyed critical and ratings success before Gervais finalized it after two seasons.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0

Following the end of Extras, Gervais started to work more on films, stand-up and podcasting.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 His podcast, The Ricky Gervais Show, alongside Merchant and friend Karl Pilkington became one of the most popular downloads on the internet and spawned a HBO animated series by the same name. He starred in movies such as Ghost World and The Invention of Lying.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 He also hosted the Golden Globes in 2010 and 2011.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8464994.stm

Throughout his career Gervais has also written two children's books, Flanimals and Flanimals Pop Up.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0 Gervais lives in London with his girlfriend of 20 years, television producer Jane Fallon.http://www.biography.com/articles/Ricky-Gervais-13628634?part=0

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