Ricky Gervais writes Oscars gags

The Office star was widely rumoured to be a possible Oscar host

Ricky Gervais has revealed that Hugh Jackman has been ringing him to get jokes to use when he hosts the Oscars on Sunday.

The Office star told Newsbeat that the X-Men actor is a naturally funny guy, however.

"He called me out of the blue a couple of weeks ago and now he just rings up and goes, 'Hi Rick, Hugh here'," explained Ricky Gervais.

"And we just chat, he wants gags, he wants to be funny at the Oscars. And he is funny, I just riff and, you know, come up with stuff.

"I hope it goes down well. Yeah, Wolverine called me, I'm mates with Wolverine!"

'On his own'

However, Ricky Gervais joked that he was hoping to cover his tracks in case Hugh Jackman's jokes didn't go down well in Los Angeles.

"I'm only going to admit to it if it goes well," he said. "If they go, 'That wasn't funny', I'll go, 'Yeah, dunno who wrote those, it wasn't me'. So he's on his own."

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The comedian said he'd worked out why he'd been supplanted as potential Oscar host by Hugh Jackman, despite supplying his jokes.

"It's 'cause he's handsome, isn't it," he laughed. "I'm like Cyrano de Bergerac. I'm the freak in the bushes giving him all the good lines.

"He's such a nice, funny bloke and I tease him about being voted the world's sexiest man, but he laughs about it. He's a really down to earth, normal guy.

"I remember once I was voted 17th most stylish man and Johnny Vegas beat me. So I don't take polls that seriously any more!"

Reading-born Ricky Gervais, who has recently broken into Hollywood with roles in the films Night At The Museum and Ghost Town, has come top of another poll before, though.

"Once I came top of a poll, man most women secretly fancy, which is basically saying they're ashamed of it. That's basically saying that, isn't it?

"Like they'd have to get it out of them at interrogation. 'You fancy who?' 'Yeah.' 'Oh, I'm so sorry.' Yeah, unbelievable."

Ricky Gervais was talking to Newsbeat entertainment reporter Chi Chi Izundu.