Ricky Gervais will return to host the 69th annual Golden Globes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association confirmed today.
This will be Gervais’ third year in a row hosting the awards telecast despite the fact that he drew strong criticism for his mockery of the Hollywood elite at this year’s Golden Globes.
Prior to the announcement that Billy Crystal would fill the vacant Oscars host spot, some speculated that Gervais might take the job. But back in August, Gervais said that Globes broadcaster NBC had asked him to return, though he greeted the invitation with skepticism.
“I love NBC,” Gervais told interviewer Richard Bacon at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival. “I love the fact that they stuck with me through it. I shouldn’t do it. It’s a second encore. Don’t do a second encore. I don’t think I should do it. What am I going back as?”
Soon after today’s official announcement, Gervais tweeted, “Just told Billy Crystal he’d better not use any of my holocaust or pedophile material at The Oscars.”
The Golden Globes will air on Sunday, January 15, 2012.
