Ricky Gervais Back As Golden Globes Host! ~ Hollywood Media

Host Ricky Gervais speaks onstage during the Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom in Beverly Hills on January 16, 2011

Caption Host Ricky Gervais speaks onstage during the Golden Globes at the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom in Beverly Hills on January 16, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Prepare yourself future Golden Globe nominees – Ricky Gervais is returning as the show’s host!

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced on Wednesday that the British funnyman would return as host despite causing quite a bit of controversy last year.

“After weeks of rumours it’s finally official – Ricky Gervais will be back to host the Golden Globes for a third year,” a statement posted on the HFPA’s website read. “The Hollywood Foreign Press Association voted for the controversial British comedian’s return after meeting with NBC official Doug Vaughn.”

The HFPA acknowledged that Ricky’s return might be unsettling to some, one year after he repeatedly skewered some of Hollywood’s elite during his first stint as Globes host.

“While many welcome Gervais’s return, not everyone is happy with the decision because last year his blunt one-liners targeting big-name celebrities caused anger and resentment in some quarters,” the statement continued. “After the show Gervais dismissed the possibility of coming back for a third time, but he gradually warmed to the idea and last month met with HFPA President Dr. Aida Takla-O’Reilly in Paris to discuss it. He said recently that the idea of going back behind the podium ‘is very tempting.’”

On Wednesday Ricky Tweeted, “Just told Billy Crystal he’d better not use any of my holocaust or pedophile material at The Oscars. He agreed (true),” along with posting a photo of himself with the upcoming Oscar Host and another shot that was used for last year’s Globes.

Following the 2011 raucous show, where the British actor took jabs at Robert Downey Jr., John Travolta, Tom Cruise and Charlie Sheen, HFPA President Philip Berk said, “He definitely crossed the line.

“And some of the things were totally unacceptable. But that’s Ricky… I had absolutely no idea what Ricky was going to say so anything I heard was heard was the same time you heard it,” Berk said at the time. “When you hire Ricky Gervais, you expect the unexpected.”

The Golden Globes will air on January 15, 2012 on NBC.