Ricky Gervais Returning as Host of Golden Globes

LOS ANGELES: The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) took to Twitter to announce that Ricky Gervais is set to host the 69th annual Golden Globes, his third time taking on the presenting duties.

After the 2011 event, Gervais came under fire for his controversial performance in which he insulted several members of Hollywood’s elite. However, the HFPA said the association voted "overwhelmingly" in favor for the British comedian’s return. NBC’s senior VP of special events and late night programming, Doug Vaughan, said: “Ricky is delighted to be coming back. He said the Golden Globes show is the most fun he has ever had.”

In a recent blog post, Gervais said it was "a tough decision to be honest. There were many pros and cons. I loved doing it, but I was worried that I couldn’t improve on last year." He added: "I knew some people would be uncomfortable with me being host. This was a pro by the way."

The telecast will air live on January 15, 2012.