Ricky Gervais reveals why he snubs $10 million to host billionaire weddings

Ricky Gervais also explained why he doesn't fear death. Photo / Getty Images

Ricky Gervais has revealed why he refuses to perform at parties or corporate events despite being offered millions to do so.

The After Life star has been offered huge sums to perform a stand-up routine at events including weddings and parties, but has said he always turns them down because he knows he "wouldn't enjoy it".

"If you can't be bought, you're the richest person in the world," he said in a radio interview.

"I turn them all down - not because I think it's beneath me, but because I wouldn't enjoy it.

"I even feel guilty, because I think that's a day's work and I could give this £5 million to charity.

"When I first started out I did one. The Office had been out for a week and I got this big paid corporate event. I remember thinking, 'I've got to take this' because the pay was the same that my dad made in a year for 15 minutes.

"But I hated it, every minute of it – some drunk marketing managers. I thought, 'I'm never going to do it again'."

And the 59-year-old star also revealed he no longer cares whether his jokes and opinions offend others.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Ten years ago, when someone complained about a joke I looked into it – I thought they might have a point here. Now I go, 'No, people just want to be heard'.

"People who want to be offended will find a way to be offended. It doesn't mean they are right."

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Meanwhile, Ricky previously insisted he doesn't fear dying. Speaking about a show he was doing at the time, he said in 2019: "I talk about how amazing life is and I talk about how it's finite and I say I feel this is like a holiday.

"We don't exist for thirteen-and-a-half billion years and then we have 80, 90, 100 if you're lucky of consciousness to try everything and experience everything. And then we don't exist again forever, but we're alive now and that's brilliant, so yeah roll on death. It's going to happen, isn't it? There's nothing wrong with being dead. The best thing about being dead is that you don't know about it. That is the best thing. It's like being stupid, it's only painful for others so it's fine."