Gervais feared De Niro 'Extras' rejection

Ricky Gervais has admitted that he was scared to approach Robert De Niro to appear in an episode of Extras in case the actor said no.

The comedian confessed to being star-struck by De Niro while filming the movie Stardust last year.

He said: "I told [Extras collaborator] Stephen Merchant: 'We've got to get De Niro!' But first rehearsal, I didn't ask him. Next day we're getting on well, I'm making him laugh, adlibbing. It's great, [we were like] best friends. Bob De Niro! He's laughing at my jokes.

"Seven hours, last scene, I say: 'I do this thing called Extras and...' The director Matthew Vaughn knew I was going to ask and he has a laugh and says: 'OK, let's turn around!'"

He added: "Finally I ask and he says he's really busy, but he'll call. Two days later he calls and says: 'Hi, it's Bob. We did that thing together.' And I went: 'I thought I told you to never f**king call me!' And he laughed!"