Comic criticises UK’s ‘fame-hungry society’

The creator of The Office and Extras, who has twice hosted the Golden Globes, said he had never wanted to become famous.

Gervais, 50, said in a magazine interview that British children were not encouraged to pursue their ambitions.

He said: “I never really thought about even having a career... Being a working-class Brit I believed it was better to never try than to try, and run the risk of failing.

“Americans are brought up to believe they can be the president of the United States.

“British kids are told: ‘Don’t be stupid. It won’t happen for you.’

Gervais, who is now a huge star in the US as well as Britain, said he did not try at school, despite being “the smartest kid in my class”.

“This is my greatest regret. It’s a disgusting attitude and potentially a waste of a life,” he said.

“Writing and directing The Office was the first thing I ever tried my hardest at. The reward was revelatory.”

Gervais said his new comedy, Life’s Too Short, a mockumentary following Warwick Davis’s day-to-day life as a jobbing dwarf actor, “reflects the more modern age – desperate, fame-hungry monsters who will do anything just to be on the telly”.

“So-called role models living their lives like open wounds to accumulate column inches, so they can then get some ghost writer to spread those inches over several ‘autobiographies’ to cash in on their infidelity, drug abuse, life of crime and personal tragedy.

“You can’t help but think many should have called a doctor before they called a publicist,” he said.

His new comedy features appearances from Johnny Depp, Sting, US comedian Steve Carrell and Helena Bonham Carter and begins on BBC2 this month.

Gervais, who recently sparked a furore over his use of the word “mong” on Twitter, added: “I never tried to be famous... I was willing to be the centre of attention in a small group of friends for saying something funny. Even interesting. I wanted to be the funniest person in the room, not the most famous.”