'I don't watch it any more'

Ricky Gervais has renewed his attack on British TV comedy – saying it is so bad he cannot bear to watch it.

He says most of our shows are poor-quality copies of much better American shows, blaming a lack of ambition in the British psyche.

Gervais, who is promoting his new film The Invention Of Lying, said: ‘I don't watch TV comedy in the UK any more.

‘We’ve got some poor copies of Curb Your Enthusiasm, some poor copies of Entourage and some poor copies of Seinfeld. With a few exceptions the Americans seem to be ahead of the game.

‘I think it's the way we're brought up. Americans are told they can become the next president. English people are told, “It won't happen to you.”’

And he told The Big Issue in Scotland that he ‘wouldn’t bother’ seeing the new remake of Reggie Perrin because ‘the original was one of my favourite shows, it was perfect.”

He also added that e was looking forward to returning to stand-up with his Science tour later this year, saying: ‘I love the fact that stand-up is the last bastion of self censorship. There’s no filter, it’s your own morality in charge of that edit and nothing is lost in translation.

‘But the main reason I do stand-up is it’s the best chance across all mediums of being as funny as you are in a pub with your mates.’

Published: 30 Jun 2009