Double Globe glory for 'Fat Bloke' Gervais

The Office’s Ricky Gervais described winning two historic Golden Globe awards today as the highlight of his career.

The spoof documentary about a Slough paper company triumphed over big hitters such as Sex And The City, and Will And Grace to become the first British sitcom to win the best comedy TV series.

The Office’s co-creator Gervais, 42, also made history as the first British actor to win a TV comedy acting gong at the Globes, for the part of smug manager David Brent.

Following the star-studded ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, Gervais, who beat Friends heart-throb Matt LeBlanc to the acting prize, said: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

He added: “It’s absolutely fantastic – a highlight of my career.

“Here I am, this fat bloke from Reading sharing a room with Jack Nicholson, Bill Murray and Michael Douglas. It’s fantastic.”

Asked how his life would change, Gervais, who looked overwhelmed when he picked up the prizes, said: “I’m going to probably be a little bit more arrogant and lazy, possibly send people out for pizzas that I probably wouldn’t have before. And just do voice-over work.”

He joked: “I don’t want any more work. I’m going to live off this for about 10 years then do some bad stuff when I really need the money.”

The smash-hit comedy, which is also being remade with American stars, is aired on BBC America rather than one of the major networks.

The Office has already claimed four Baftas and a Silver Rose at last year’s Montreux TV Festival, Europe’s top television awards.

Today Mackenzie Crook, who plays office creep Gareth Keenan, jokingly warned Americans:

“Think very carefully before you let David Brent into your hearts and your homes.”

Paul Lee, BBC America’s chief executive officer, hailed the show as “groundbreaking” and a “comic masterpiece”.

Series two of The Office became the fastest selling DVD for a TV series in the UK. The programme is licensed to more than 100 countries and territories around the world.

Experts today said the wins marked a special moment for British comedy.

Comedy writer Gill Smith said: “It’s rare for a British show to go out in America unchanged, and the fact that The Office did is testament to how good the writing is.

“In American comedy, the hero tends to come out on top but in The Office things get worse and worse for David Brent so it is a surprise that The Office has been so popular in America.

“There are some big-hitters on US TV at the moment, like Sex and the City and Will and Grace, and with some of these shows coming to an end, it would have been easy to give them an award.”