Amid receiving death threats following his anti-woke humour, Ricky Gervais is preparing to bolster his security ahead of his UK tour, as reported by The Sun.
The British humourist’s team is carrying out an extensive security revision for his forthcoming UK tour titled “Armageddon”, which is scheduled to commence in Cardiff on Wednesday.
The 61-year-old actor and director of “After Life” had previously implemented protective measures during his US tour, including a ‘ring of steel’ at his Hollywood Bowl event, prompted by worries of potential gun violence.
The co-creator of “The Office” disclosed that his live performance will delve into themes such as God, Hitler, and the culture of offense.
A television insider disclosed to The Sun that Gervais had been informed about threats to his life. Although the explicit content of the threats has been withheld from him, he has been informed about disconcerting letters sent in his name.
“Ricky is very aware of the dangers and he can afford whatever security he wants, so he thought it was a no-brainer,” added the insider.
One of the more notable and recent threats seems to have been provoked by his remarks on his Netflix show SuperNature. The comedian was severely criticized by LGBTQ+ activists for perceived ‘anti-trans’ comments.
Another source mentioned that security personnel thoroughly inspected the venue prior to the event and were present amongst the audience.
Gervais’s concerns were further triggered by an attack on fellow comedian Dave Chappelle last year, when an individual holding a mock handgun equipped with a blade assaulted him onstage.
The UK comedian amassed an impressive £1.41 million at the box office from a single stand-up performance earlier in May.
Gervais graced the stage of Los Angeles’ legendary Hollywood Bowl on May 6 as part of his Armageddon tour, which is currently making its rounds globally.
Following a highly acclaimed performance, Gervais broke records by generating the highest-ever single-event earnings by a British stand-up comedian.
On the subject of his record-breaking achievement, Ricky commented, ‘To find out about this record is the icing on the cake. I was happy enough when it didn’t rain.’
Gervais, the actor from “After Life”, previously expressed his pride about his Hollywood Bowl performance on Twitter, referring to it as one of the most ‘surreal’ experiences of his life.
He posted, “Thank you Hollywood Bowl for one of the most surreal nights of my life. What a venue. What a crowd.”
“I can’t even imagine what my mum would think about me playing the Hollywood Bowl. I hope she would be horrified by the language, tell me I looked fat, and be secretly proud.”
“Wish I’d filmed it now… if only to remind myself it actually happened. Mental.”
The celebrity also shared a picture of the nighttime venue on Instagram, captioned: ‘That time I played a packed out Hollywood F**king Bowl.’
Fans showered Gervais’s post with encouraging messages, many of whom attended the event and thanked him for a memorable show.
In the wake of his accomplishment, Gervais is poised to continue the Armageddon tour throughout the year, with grand shows planned across the UK, Europe, and the US.
His journey begins at Cambridge’s Corn Exchange, then moving to Leeds and subsequently Manchester.
Following a brief respite, he will head to Vienna, followed by numerous transatlantic trips between the US and the UK for shows in locations like New York, Dublin, Cardiff, and Toronto.
In the fall, he is scheduled to perform two colossal shows at the OVO Wembley Arena, along with a 10-night sequence at the London Palladium.
The overwhelmingly successful tour, which began the previous year, is slated to conclude at Bristol Beacon in December.
