Ricky Gervais has revealed he would love to host next year's Oscars - but said he doubts he'll get the chance given his past antics at awards ceremonies.

The comedian admitted it would be "carnage" if he took to the stage at the Academy Awards, as his presenting style would be similar to his Golden Globes approach of "teasing some infeasibly rich and famous people about their behaviour".

Gervais, who recently revived his character David Brent from The Office, has hosted the Golden Globe Awards four times - and said he "never had column inches like it" after each performance.

During his first stint in 2010, he told the audience: "Looking at all the wonderful faces here today reminds me of the great work that's been done this year... by cosmetic surgeons."

The 55-year-old said the Golden Globes were the "next one down" compared to the Oscars, and insisted he would "take all the flak" if he was given the chance to host the movie industry's most prestigious awards ceremony.


Image: Chris Rock closes the show at the 88th Academy Awards in Hollywood

However, he says he still doesn't understand why people took his jokes so seriously - as these ceremonies are the best occasions to "take the mickey".

Gervais said: "It wasn't a room full of wounded soldiers. These were actors and I was teasing them about their film or their foibles and I'm in that group, I put myself in there too."

Earlier this year, US comedian Chris Rock impressed as host of the Academy Awards when he launched an assault on racism in Hollywood.

It followed the #OscarsSoWhite campaign, which protested about the absence of black nominees in any of the major acting categories.

"You're damn right Hollywood's racist, but not the racist that you've grown accustomed to," Rock told the audience.

Gervais thinks "there was no one better that year to host the Oscars" after the racism row.

He said: "It was so great what he did, it was such a lovely take on it, he confronted those people saying, 'Why now?'

"I emailed Chris Rock and said he should come out in a white hood and take it off.

"He just said, 'Thanks Rick.' Ignored, no reply."