
Ricky Gervais risks being cancelled with dicey Hollywood Walk of Fame speech
The After Life creator received the honour on Friday, following in the footsteps of thousands of showbiz greats, from Destiny's Child and Bob Marley to Sir Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.
Or, if you're Ricky, perhaps you'd rather focus on some more controversial recipients…
During his speech at the ceremony, the 63-year-old, famous for joking about taboo topics, decided to risk public cancellation once more.
He joked about how grateful he is to have his star sitting alongside some other legends of the business, naming Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, and Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle, all of whom have been accused of sexual misconduct.
'Thank you so much for this honour,' Ricky began, as per Variety.
'It's a genuine thrill to be part of such an exclusive club.
'And just looking around earlier at all the other stars, absolute icons, you know? Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Fatty Arbuckle…'
Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50, has been accused of sexually abusing children at his Neverland ranch, which his estate has continued to deny. In 2005, further child molestation charges went to court, but the singer was acquitted.
Director Arbuckle, who died in 1933, was taken to court three times in the 1920s for the rape and manslaughter of actress Virginia Rappe. He was also acquitted and received a written apology from the third jury.
Meanwhile, Cosby was convicted of rape in 2018 and spent just under three years in prison following a highly publicised trial. He maintains his innocence, with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court later overturning his conviction.
Elsewhere in his acceptance speech, Ricky said sarcastically, 'Wow, this is a huge surprise. I never thought I'd win this today.'
'I haven't even prepared a speech or anything,' he quipped, pulling out a piece of paper.
Sporting his trademark black T-shirt and jeans, he added: 'I should firstly apologise for how I'm dressed. This isn't me trying to be cool or disrespectful to the establishment. This is me not having a suit that fits anymore.'
The comedian went on to say the nature of his job is being 'not very good at taking things too seriously'.
But his speech did include a more earnest moment as he said receiving his star made him feel 'humbled'.
He added that his success was a combination of 'luck, persistence, and a little bit of pushing against the tide'.
Ricky's addition to the landmark in Los Angeles makes him the 2,813th dedication on the Walk of Fame.
He has enjoyed a lengthy career, having created and starred in The Office on BBC, Life's Too Short, and Derek.
The stand-up star has won seven Baftas, four Emmys, and four Golden Globes, having hosted the ceremony of the latter several times.
Throughout his career, he's been no stranger to a risky joke.
In 2023, over 12,000 people signed a petition calling for Netflix to axe his comedy special Armageddon before it was even released after a teaser clip showed him making gags about terminally ill children and using the R-slur.
Immediately after the offensive joke, Ricky told the audience of the show: 'These are all jokes, all right? I don't even use that word in real life, the R-word. … I'm playing a role.'
Ricky was later quizzed on the divisive material, telling BBC Radio 5 Live listeners that the outrage against him was 'faux'. He also compared the petitioners to 'hecklers'.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
'I can play to a million people, I won't get a complaint. As soon as it goes on Netflix or as soon as someone writes up a joke that says this is offensive, people go, 'Oh, that's offensive',' he said. More Trending
'They haven't even heard the joke. They weren't there. Ignore them. They don't count. They have no effect on me. They don't count. They're hecklers.'
Ricky also previously faced backlash for his SuperNature movie, in which he made remarks about trans people, female comedians, and AIDS.
Addressing the matter afterwards on The One Show, Ricky argued: 'I think that's what comedy is for, really – to get us through stuff, and I deal in taboo subjects because I want to take the audience to a place it hasn't been before, even for a split second.
'Most offence comes from when people mistake the subject of a joke with the actual target.'
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: Trump reveals if he's willing to pardon ex-pal Diddy if convicted of sex trafficking
MORE: Dolly Parton reveals 'mixed emotions' about new tribute musical
MORE: Taylor Swift fans 'heartbroken' as singer reveals bittersweet news in emotional message
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Metro
7 minutes ago
- Metro
Strictly fans reckon they've cracked identity of first celebrity after huge clue
Eagle-eyed Strictly Come Dancing fans reckon they know who the first celebrity taking part in the 2025 series is. Speculation is currently rife, with just weeks to go until names start to be revealed for the lineup of the next series. We really know nothing at this stage, other than that all of last year's professionals will be back, and they'll be joined by two new pros: Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon. So as the BBC remains tight-lipped on this year's cast—and in stark contrast to 2024 when Olympian Tom Dean announced himself that he was taking part—Strictly viewers have had their detective hats on. And after Dani Dyer was spotted at the show's studios recently, they think it's a major sign she's going to waltz her way onto the ballroom floor later this year. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The 28-year-old reality star's name has already been thrown around in the media, so ears definitely pricked up when one Reddit user shared that she'd been at the Elstree base. 'My daughter's a receptionist at Elstree and was super excited that she saw Dani Dyer at the studio yesterday. Something to do with Strictly??', wrote Serendipity21sworld. Instantly getting excited, Britishloozerr commented under the post: 'She is rumoured actually! I guess she will be on it, she'll be good'. 'i've heard her name floating around so thats brill news x', added Quick-Carob-2037. Meanwhile, a sceptical strictly_brotherhood pointed out: 'The celebs won't be at Elstree yet', leading to ab979 arguing it's still a possibility. 'Actually, last year the celebs did their costume fittings before they were announced, so it's possible she could be at elstree for that', they said. Dani, the daughter of Danny Dyer, has long been rumoured to be a 2025 Strictly star, with The Sun claiming in May that she'd signed a pre-show contract and was ironing out a fee. A source told the publication at the time: 'Bosses are thrilled she's agreed to take part and are ironing out her fee. 'She's bubbly, down-to-earth, and straight-talking, and producers reckon she'll make an ideal contestant—not to mention the bonus of having Jarrod [Bowen] and dad Danny in the audience supporting her.' Dani tied the knot with West Ham footballer Jarrod, 28, in the spring with a lavish ceremony. Looking gorgeous in a £10,000 dress, the former Love Islander got married in the Buckinghamshire countryside, surrounded by her nearest and dearest, including her three young children. Also there to celebrate her nuptials was, of course, dad Danny, with whom Dani has worked on several projects, from TV to podcasting. The dad and daughter duo are no strangers to the small screen; hence, Dani's reported Strictly signing would be far from the first time she's pushed herself out of her comfort zone in front of the nation. Jake Brown Tom Parker-Bowles Ashley Cain Stacey Solomon Miranda Hart Yinrun Huang Angellica Bell While she became known to everyone in 2018's Love Island, she's since appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox and Celebrity MasterChef and co-presented MTV's True Love or True Lies. As well as her Italian travel show with her famous father, she had her own soul-baring anxiety documentary in 2023, and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief in 2019. Some may say this makes her perfect Strictly contestant material, which is pretty much the opposite of her dad, who has made it clear he will never do it. The 47-year-old previously revealed that he gets the call series after series, telling The Sun in his typical no-nonsense fashion: 'I get offered to do Strictly every year, and it's not for me. I've got no desire to be mincing around in sequins.' More Trending As for the rest of Strictly 2025, it remains to be seen who will be entering the ballroom. However, other rumoured celebs include The Traitors winner Jake Brown, Queen Camilla's eldest son Tom Parker-Bowles, former footballer Ashley Cain, TV presenter Stacey Solomon, and comedy favourite Miranda Hart. The BBC declined to comment. Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One in autumn. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Strictly star announces major career change to star in 'dark' Hollywood thriller MORE: Bake Off winner addresses being quizzed over full-frontal nudity on OnlyFans MORE: Anton Du Beke laments wife's cruel chronic condition she'll 'suffer with for life'


Daily Record
8 minutes ago
- Daily Record
BBC The One Show's Alex Jones makes return after 'heartbreaking' summer break
The One Show returned to BBC One on Monday evening with Alex Jones back at the helm after a "heartbreaking" end to her summer break, as she shared the ordeal she had faced. Alex Jones has returned to The One Show after experiencing a "heartbreaking" end to her family getaway. The BBC programme made its comeback on Monday following the summer hiatus. Hosts Alex and JB Gill welcomed viewers from the famous green sofa alongside guests Freddie Highmore from The Good Doctor and Anna Friel from Unforgivable, who both spoke about their current ventures. Kicking off the live transmission, Alex addressed audiences saying: "Hello there and welcome to your Monday One Show live on BBC One and iPlayer with JB Gill.." Former JLS member JB added: "and Alex Jones. Now we're back to share our evenings with you after an amazing few weeks of sport here on the BBC.", reports the Mirror. The duo then discussed England's Euros triumph against Spain on Sunday before chatting with their celebrity guests Freddie and Anna. This follows Alex's revelation that her family's kitten Sabrina suffered serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle. The devastated host broke the distressing news whilst in the Lake District, where she and her loved ones had taken a postponed break on advice from renowned veterinarian Noel Fitzpatrick, who stepped in to treat Sabrina's broken pelvis. Despite the trauma, Alex confirmed her pet had received surgery and was now recovering. Recounting the distressing events of the past week, Alex shared with her followers: "We think our gorgeous little kitten, Sabrina, was hit by a car yesterday evening but despite breaking her pelvis, she managed to crawl back to the house to tell us that she was hurt." Following urgent medical attention, Sabrina was transferred to Professor Noel Fitzpatrick's renowned veterinary clinic for advanced care. Alex hailed the Supervet as "the light at the end of a pretty scary 24 hours", thanking him for his prompt intervention and support during what she described as an upsetting period for her family. She revealed that Noel had encouraged them to proceed with their holiday plans, recounting: "We were due to come to the Lake District the middle of last week and obviously all of this happened, but we did eventually make it. "Noel said, you know, she needs to stay with me anyway so you might as well go, because the kids were traumatised by the whole thing and disappointed - so we did come, and I'm so glad." Since 2010, Alex has been a familiar face on The One Show, initially joining forces with Matt Baker and subsequently presenting alongside a variety of co-hosts such as JB, Roman Kemp, and Ronan Keating.


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Anna Friel hopes harrowing drama ‘Unforgivable' sparks empathy in viewers
Anna Friel hopes viewers respond to Jimmy McGovern 's Unforgivable with "respect and kindness." The actor, 49, stars in the multi-award-winning screenwriter's new BBC drama, which centres around the Mitchell family who are dealing with the aftermath of an act of abuse perpetrated by a member of their own family and its extensive ripple effect. Speaking to The One Show on Monday (28 July), Friel detailed how her character, Anna, fit into the story and how she hoped viewers would respond to the drama. "It's a truthful, honest topic that we hope is talked about with respect and kindness and intelligence. "We don't have to necessarily go through something ourselves to find empathy and compassion for those that are going through such a thing."