The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards aren't scheduled to take place until January 16, 2011, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association made the surprising decision to announce its next host on Wednesday (April 28): Ricky Gervais.
The hosts for major awards shows are often announced just a few months before the ceremony. But in this case, the HFPA has elected to tell the world that it will bring back the "Invention of Lying" star, who in 2010 acted as the Globes' first master of ceremonies since 1995.
The announcement is also surprising considering that Gervais' much-hyped hosting debut received a mixed response at best, with such heavyweight outlets as the L.A. Times and The Hollywood Reporter offering some of the harshest criticism of the British entertainer. One of the deciding factors in the decision may have been the ratings for this year's ceremony, which were up 14 percent from the previous year.
As if that weren't enough to make the announcement raise some eyebrows, there's Gervais himself. While speaking with the BBC the night of the Globes, the outlet reported that he "admitted in his usual self-deprecating manner that he may have bitten off more than he could chew," and that he said: "I'm not going to do this again."
Ricky Gervais is best known as the star and co-creator of "The Office," a hit British comedy that was later adapted for American television. He also co-created and starred in the HBO comedy "Extras" and has appeared in the movies "Ghost Town," "Stardust" and "For Your Consideration." His latest film, a comedy called "Cemetery Junction," recently opened in the U.K. but currently has no U.S. release plans.
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