Ricky Gervais on weight loss: 'I wasn't ready to die'

Ricky Gervais has revealed that his substantial weight loss was inspired by his fear of a premature death.

The Cemetery Junction comedian shifted 22lb in just one year after finally realising the toll that a decade of over-indulgence could take.

"I've never had a problem with weight," he told The People. "I was thin until I was about 29. Then I hit 30 and there was a decade of eating and drinking.

"I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm going to die' so I decided to do something about it. Losing the weight wasn't a problem. I just decided I'd work out and slim down ­because I didn't want to die."

Gervais confessed that he would have been prompted to slim down earlier if others had been honest about his figure.

"Why didn't anyone tell me I was fat?" he asked. "People say I look great now. They then say I used to be pear-shaped. Why didn't anyone tell me? I would have worked out earlier."

Gervais revealed that he decided to embrace a healthy lifestyle after a 'sausage binge' last Christmas.

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