Ricky Gervais took to the BBC The One Show's sofa last night, Tuesday, May 24, and in his usual style, said exactly what was on his mind. However, when the chat took an unexpected turn, hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas were almost lost for words.
Introducing the star as "the Golden Globe, Bafta and Emmy award winning comedian and writer", Alex Jones began by asking the comedian about his standup tour. Later in the show, the talk turned to other topics.
The outspoken funny man is known for touching on taboo topics with his stand-up routines and TV roles. His comedy-drama After Life, tackled some hard-hitting topics surrounding grief and suicide amongst other issues.
READ MORE: Martin Lewis's urgent advice to every E.On and British Gas customer
However, it was The Office and Extras star new Netflix stand-up special SuperNature that he'd come on to The One Show to talk about on this occasion, wrote Manchester Evening News. Explaining what the show is about, he said: "I debunk the supernatural and conclude nature is super enough."
And he explained: "We don't need unicorns, we've got the octopus. It's nature, humanity, warts and all. The best and worst things about being alive."
Asked about how the audience 'laps up' jokes about his wealth he explained it's because 'they know what I'm doing.' I go out with bad jeans, drinking out of a can of beer. We're jesters so we have to be down with the audience laughing at the king," he said.
He continued: "I do that in two ways. One I let them peek behind the curtain. I say all the terrible things that happen to me, the terrible tweets, the terrible press. I also do it by talking about things where they're better off than me."
And the chat took a dark turn as he added: "I'm fat and old and I'm going to die soon." "No you're not," Alex corrected. "I am," he told her. Clocking a change in mood he asked: "I've brought it down haven't I?"
As Jermaine jokingly urged "quick, lift it", Ricky continued with the subject. "Every day I'm closer to death," he told them. "Well we're all a bit closer to death," Alex told him. And warming to his theme he added: "Every day is a bigger percentage of the rest of your life and we don't know what percentage that will be. If I die tomorrow, today was 50 per cent."
A stunned Jermaine admitted: "I didn't see this coming. This is not a part of the show I thought was going to happen." And Alex finally changed the subject by saying he's a 'softie at heart' who raises money with ticket sales for animal charities.
In Nottingham, vandals who destroyed a park bench inspired by the hit Ricky Gervais Netflix show After Life are being hunted by police, with them being described by Nottinghamshire Police as 'callous'. Two benches arrived in Nottingham in January, one in the Arboretum and one in Highfields Park, and have previously been described as a "beautiful reminder of those who we've lost". But on Sunday (May 22), the bench was destroyed with planks of wood lying on top of each other.
