Ricky Gervais' most brutal jokes and celebrity roasts at the Golden Globes

The Golden Globe Awards are back tonight without controversial host Ricky Gervais.

After taking to the podium at the prestigious awards ceremony on five separate occasions - in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2020, the British actor, comedian and writer has gained a reputation for his savage digs.

While celebrities were often left squirming in their seats, viewers at home absolutely loved his controversial quips at the expense of Hollywood’s elite stars.

During his final stint as host three years ago, Gervais went out with a bang by being as controversial as humanly possible.

He took a swipe at basically everyone, as he hosted the 77th awards ceremony in January 2020, including jokes about Jeffrey Epstein, Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriends, the cast of the five-time nominated film The Irishman, films about paedophilia and James Corden in Cats.

Jeffrey Epstein 'didn't kill himself'

In 2020, Gervais started the evening with a joke about Jeffrey Epstein's death. The disgraced paedophile - who abused teenagers in the 1990s and early 2000s - died under mysterious circumstances in August 2019.

The joke came after he mentioned his series After Life returning for a second season, effectively giving away the first season's cliffhanger and marking a comeback for his depressed character, Tony Johnson.

"You could binge-watch the entire first season of After Life instead of watching this show," he jokes. "That’s a show about a man who wants to kill himself cause his wife dies of cancer and it’s still more fun than this.

"Spoiler alert, season two is on the way so, in the end, he obviously didn’t kill himself. Just like Jeffrey Epstein. Shut up. I know he’s your friend but I don’t care."

James Corden and Dame Judi Dench in Cats

Late night talk show host James Corden joined film icon Judi Dench and an all-star ensemble cast in the universally panned live-action version of Cats, the Andrew Lloyd Webber play.

Even though the film itself didn't get any nominations - unless you count the nod for Best Original Song for Lloyd Webber and Taylor Swift - Gervais didn't hold back in his 2020 monologue.

"The world got to see James Corden as a fat pussy. He was also in the movie Cats," he said, throwing shots at the Gavin & Stacey star.

"No one saw that movie. And the reviews, shocking. I saw one that said, 'This is the worst thing to happen to cats since dogs'.

"But Dame Judi Dench defended the film saying it was the film she was born to play because she loves nothing better than plonking herself down on the carpet, lifting her leg and licking her own minge. (Coughs.) Hairball. She’s old-school."

All the movies about paedophilia

Also at the 2020 ceremony, Gervais joked about the number of films about paedophilia that had been released in the past year. Including Surviving R. Kelly, Leaving Neverland and The Two Popes that all got a dishonourable shoutout.

“But tonight isn’t just about the people in front of the camera,” he began. “In this room are some of the most important TV and film executives in the world. People from every background."

In a reference to the bombshell investigation into Harvey Weinstein, he went on: “They all have one thing in common: They’re all terrified of Ronan Farrow. He’s coming for ya. Talking of all you perverts, it was a big year for pedophile movies. Surviving R. Kelly, Leaving Neverland, Two Popes. Shut up. Shut up. I don’t care. I don’t care.”

Mel Gibson's drinking

During his very first Golden Globes in 2010, Gervais poked fun at Mel Gibson which would become a recurring theme in his monologues in later years.

Standing behind a podium with a glass of beer in his hand, the host told the audience: “Honestly, I like a drink as much as the next man. Unless the next man is Mel Gibson.”

In 2006, Gibson apologised for his ‘despicable’ remark after he was arrested for a DUI and made anti-Semitic remarks.

Gervais referenced the joke when introducing Gibson again in 2016. “Listen, I still feel a bit bad for it,” he shared. “Mel’s forgotten all about it, apparently. That’s what drinking does.”

Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriends

Notorious ladies man Leonardo Di Caprio didn't escape the attention go Gervais either.

The Academy Award-winning actor was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his role as Rick Dalton in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2020, but the then 45-year-old’s dating habits took centre stage when Gervais ridiculed the Titanic star’s penchant for romancing younger women.

He joked: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nearly three hours long. Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere and by the end his date was too old for him.

DiCaprio laughed in the audience as Gervais added: "Even Prince Andrew was like, ‘Come on, Leo, mate. You’re nearly 50-something.’”

Gervais will certainly be missed at this year's ceremony, maybe just not by some of the most famous attendees.