Ricky Gervais

Storm over 'mong' jibes by TV's Ricky Gervais

Comic Ricky Gervais was rapped by disability groups last night for a string of "mong" jokes.

The makers of A League Of Their Own have got the title spot on. It stands alone, and seems proud to do so, as the crudest, crassest, most depressing programme on TV, although I haven't watched BBC Three recently so stand to be corrected. On last week's show there were jokes - using the term in same sense that Jedward call themselves singers - about giving Arsène Wenger oral sex, giggling about men kissing, Heather Mills having one leg and a comedian shouting "fucking posh fish" at a tank of fish (as opposed to randomly turning on the underwater upper classes).

There is another problem with the show. It's rubbish. Here's a joke from James Corden on what Phil Taylor likes to have for dinner: "Double eggs, treble chips then finish on a double ice cream." "I'm only joking," said Corden, helpfully, at one point. Corden appears to be turning into Ricky Gervais playing James Corden. Maybe the whole thing is a Corden in-joke, The Office of the comedy quiz world. There has to be something to explain its excruciating awfulness.

GQ: Life's Too Short exclusive

A video in which Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais discuss the clothing choices of Warwick Davis.

Interview: Stephen Merchant, comedian, actor, writer

It might not seem possible to live in the shadow of someone else when you are a towering 6ft 7ins tall, yet for a time, that was the impression Stephen Merchant gave. The 36-year-old, who co-wrote and co-directed the award-winning comedies The Office and Extras, often appeared to play second fiddle to the egregious Ricky Gervais.

Ricky Gervais interview

Ricky Gervais reckons Johnny Depp's appearance in his new series Life's Too Short is the "most bizarre and amazing cameo we've ever had".

Ricky Gervais: 'I may have been wrong about Twitter'

I may have been wrong about Twitter. I think I'm still right about how awful it is that celebrity couples tweet one another publicly, (get a fucking room... nauseating), and that, engaging with idiots is quite undignified, but I was wrong to just rule it out due to those things.

Ricky Gervais to do rival webcast of Golden Globes

After last year's controversy over his jokes as host of the Golden Globes, comedian Ricky Gervais will do his own 'alternative webcast' commentary.

No one finds Ricky Gervais as funny as he finds himself

David Brent spent the entire time trying to make people laugh. As he smirked and giggled his way through The Office, you realised that no one found Brent half as funny as he found himself. And the sad truth is that Ricky Gervais has become his own comic alter ego.

Ricky Gervais planning new Derek Noakes sitcom

Over on his blog, Gervais answered a few FAQs about his new interest in the social messaging service, and, more significantly, revealed plans for two new shows.

Inside Ricky Gervais' new £2.5million apartment

Grace Kelly apparently danced down the halls in just her underwear, and Liza Minnelli and Joan Crawford also called it home. But the residential hotel which was built for women in the 1920s is slowly being taken over by someone a little less glamorous - Ricky Gervais.