Ricky Gervais will skip the Golden Globes next month despite being nominated for an award because it's "too far to go"

During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's This Cultural Life, Ricky - who has hosted the Golden Globes five times - explained: "I didn't have any joy watching my fat face on screen. I just want peace and quiet ...

"I'm probably not going to the Golden Globes ... It's too far to go. It takes a lot to get me off the couch with my cat and my girlfriend watching Netflix. I love the work, I love writing, I love creating, I love stand-up, but all the other stuff I could really do without."

In the interview, he was asked if he would change any of his previous comedy work and Ricky replied: "You are a product of your time and you do make things for people of your time.

"I'd put trigger warnings on things, but I wouldn't go back and change something [now] ... Do I regret anything? No. Would I do things differently now? Probably."

Ricky went on to insist much of British comedy is based around the concept of class, saying: "We are obsessed with it, and so we should be, I think.

"I'm much more aware of it now. I'm not working class any more, but I was ...

"People understand most power struggles - they understand why racism, homophobia and misogyny are wrong but they are very disparaging about the working classes. It's the one thing that it seems to be fine to take the mickey out of with no blowback at all."

Ricky added of his own work: "If you can draw on your own mannerisms, that's easier than putting on a ridiculous French accent and wearing a silly wig, because I only deal in realism.

"I don't do those heightened things. I don't do surreal stuff. I don't do fantastical stuff, I don't do high concept, I don't do time travel."