Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon are itching for a role in Ricky Gervais' sitcom Extras - but he is adamant he has no plans for a third season of the show.

The Office creator attracted showbiz A-listers including Robert De Niro, David Bowie and Kate Winslet to parody themselves in the comedy about a struggling actor.

Gervais insists he has no desire to relaunch the show for a third season - but his co-star Ashley Jensen has revealed a host of Hollywood stars are waiting in the wings if he changes his mind.

Jensen tells U.K. TV show This Morning, "I would love to do it again, I really would. The...

Ricky Gervais has defended his new sitcom centered around Warwick Davis, insisting he doesn't rely on the dwarf actor's short stature for the show's jokes.

Gervais and his writing partner Stephen Merchant recruited the Harry Potter star, who was born with dwarfism, for upcoming TV comedy Life's Too Short, about a dwarf actor running a struggling showbiz agency.

However, The Office funnyman is adamant he doesn't poke fun at Davis' disability in the series.

He tells Britain's Absolute Radio Breakfast Show, "This is nothing to do with his height. We're not getting jokes out of him being ...

Ricky Gervais is returning to TV after landing a role alongside his comedy idol Larry David in the next season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The pair will shoot the eighth season of the hit show this summer in New York City, after the comedy relocated from Los Angeles.

Gervais tells WENN.com, "I was offered a role a few seasons back but couldn't do it as I was filming Extras. I've always wanted to work with Larry as I consider him one of the most important comedic minds of the past 50 years. He is also one of the nicest people I know."

And he's looking forward to working in the Big Apple, ...

Ricky Gervais is teaming up with his Extras co-star Warwick Davis for a new sitcom about the everyday life of a dwarf.

The BBC has commissioned The Office funnyman to write and oversee a pilot episode of observant comedy Life's Too Short, which will give an insight into Davis' world.

British actor Davis, who was born with dwarfism, is most famous for starring in 1980s fantasy film Willow and his recurring role as Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter movie series. Gervais, who makes a cameo appearance in Life's Too Short, insists the program will be a quirky hit.

He says, ''It's a cr...

Ricky Gervais is a funny guy. Every show he's in gets critical acclaim like the British The Office which inspired the hit American show and other remakes around the world. Fans of his Extras are still clamoring for a reunion show or something to keep the magic going.

At least now they'll have The Ricky Gervais Show to get their Ricky fix. Only Gervais isn't the funny one on this show. The source of all the laughs is a guy named Karl Pilkington who just says has the strangest observations on life. Gervais, his partner Stephen Merchant and Pilkington have a podcast where they just talk a...

Accidentally on Purpose creator Claudia Lonow describes her new fall show, a comedy based on a memoir of the same name by Mary F. Pols, as being an unconventional romantic comedy. Jenna Elfman's character is a 30-something - well actually 37 as the pilot is quick to constantly point out - newspaper woman who gets pregnant after a one-night stand with a 20-something (the adorable Jon Foster) who lives in his van. From there, the two move in together because the guy is determined to do what he can to be a good dad, despite being scared to death and not really having a frame of reference on ho...

Tonight's episode of Leverage (9pm ET on TNT) -- An episode we saw earlier this week and think it's the best episode of the season -- has the team going head-to-head with a rival gang of thieves that features Griffin Dunne and Wil Wheaton. Aldis Hodge -- who plays computer hacker Alec Hardison -- joins us to discuss the current season and to make sure you don't compare the show to "Oceans 11."

Mike: I'm curious, how much do you think you have in common with Hardison?

Aldis Hodge: Well, all the personality and humor's there; the sarcasm is there. As far as skills as a hacker, he's way ...

British comic Ricky Gervais is prepared to turn his back on acting - to focus on directing.

The funnyman has written and starred in hit comedies The Office and Extras and even cracked Hollywood with his turn in the Night At The Museum movies.

Gervais also directed last year's hit film Ghost Town - and he's tempted to make the move behind the camera permanent.

He says, "I have fallen in love with directing now, almost as much as writing. If I am going to drop one, I would phase out my acting. If you have got the stamina and someone gives you enough money, you can write, direct, a...

Ugly Betty star Ashley Jensen is expecting her first child - just months after her character on the hit show gave birth.

The Scottish actress, who shot to fame in Ricky Gervais' Extras, is due to deliver her first tot with husband Terence Beesley in the autumn.

Jensen, who quit her role as Christina in Ugly Betty earlier this year, is "excited" about the pregnancy, according to People.com.

The star is set to move to another TV show - she has taken a part as Jenna Elfman's best pal in new sitcom Accidentally on Purpose.

- Click here for more Ashley Jensen pictures -

Ima...

Kate Winslet is one of the most respected actresses of modern day, and she is also remarkable in her excellent list of film roles from start to finish. There were very few movies that could even be considered 'bad' on her resume, and even the less successful ones garnered praise for her performance alone. Beautiful, intelligent, picky, and somewhat of an indie film darling, Winslet has a wicked sense of humor to go along with her sweet smile. Just watch her guest appearance on "Extras!" This British spitfire has been nominated for five Oscars with no wins ... yet. We'll have to see what the...

Funnyman Ricky Gervais has his sights on a new target for his hit TV show Extras - Hollywood legend Al Pacino. The British comedian has convinced a string of A-list stars - including Kate Winslet, David Bowie, George Michael, and Orlando Bloom - into agreeing to appear on the program in the past.

Now he wants to land his biggest ever target, by luring the star of The Godfather onto the show for a one-off special episode on the TV series, about a struggling actor who rubs shoulders with the stars.

Gervais writes on his blog that he is penning a new episode with comedy partner Steph...

Eva Mendes is desperate to land a role on Ricky Gervais' Extras - after she was turned down for a cameo on the hit TV show. The brunette beauty is a big fan of the comedy series, which features big celebrity guest stars in each episode - and was disappointed after the show bosses denied her a role.

And now she is determined to appear on the sitcom, which is written by and stars Gervais as a struggling actor.

When asked if she has any unfulfilled ambitions, she responds: "Yes, to appear in an episode of Ricky Gervais' show Extras. It's one of my favorite shows ever and they turned ...

As TV continues to evolve, so does the Emmy voting process. This year, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences leaked the preliminary results of the voting for Best Comedy and Best Drama Series. In the coming weeks, a blue ribbon panel will narrow the top 10 down to the final five nominees. Their findings will be presented along with the rest of the nominees on the morning of July 17.

In the meantime, their top 10 lists are ripe for debate. Who among the chosen few deserves the honor of an actual nomination? I'm here to help the panel by offering an expert opinion honed over an e...

For the last two decades, HBO has been considered the gold standard for television quality. The network routinely receives more Emmy nominations than any of its competitors, despite fielding a drastically smaller roster of programming.

HBO practically reinvented what could be done on the small screen. Each episode now had the same production values as a feature film, and the way the pay network could deal with risqué content led to a wide array of groundbreaking programming.

A quick glance at the roster of original shows produced by HBO over its first 25 years is almost like look...

The American version of "The Office" has been in repeats longer than any show affected by the writers' strike. In fact, its last episode aired before Thanksgiving, creating a withdrawal that has lasted more than two months for fans.

This is the perfect opportunity for those obsessed with "The Office" to see where it all began, on the other side of the pond.

The U.K. version of "The Office" is in many ways dissimilar to its American counterpart. For example, the U.S. characters Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Michael (Steve Carell) (versus the British Gareth Kenan and David Brent), are...

Oscar Best Film favorites There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men will compete for the 19th annual Producers Guild Awards in Hollywood next month. Juno, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly and surprise choice Michael Clayton complete the list of five nominees.

Golden Globe Awards film winners Atonement and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street have been shut out of the PGAs, which are scheduled to take place on February 2.

Bee Movie, Golden Globe winner Ratatouille and The Simpsons Movie will compete for the Best Animated category, while Body of War, Pete Seeger: The P...

In The New Adventures of Old Christine, single working mom Christine Campbell has just learned that her ex is dating a much-younger woman with the same first name. To avoid any confusion, everyone calls one woman New Christine and the other Old Christine. You can guess which is which. Season one is now on DVD. Also in stores: Extras the complete series, The Rockford Files season five, and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch season three.

Johnny Depp's dark musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street was a double winner at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

Depp himself claimed his first Globe after being nominated seven times - he took home gold in the Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical category and the Tim Burton film was named one of the night's two Best Films.

Acclaimed TV drama Mad Men also celebrated two awards, claiming the Best TV Drama Series and Best TV Actor honors at the Globes.

It was a semi-disappointing night for Kiera Knightley's period drama Atonem...

The writers' strike has officially infiltrated awards season. The Golden Globes have been reduced to a lackluster news conference. That means no best and worst dressed list. No boozy celebrities making a fool of themselves. All that remains is an hour-long meeting at the Beverly Hilton Hotel with angry WGA picketers surrounding the premises.

So, until the Hollywood powers-that-be finally buckle down and give the writers what they want and deserve, we here at Starpulse are going to call the winners and losers. We looked at reviews, other expert predictions, viewer attitudes and who we ...

Long gone are the days of NBC's "Must See TV," which consisted of classics such as The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, and Friends. Although today's comedic offerings aren't as legendary as those in the past, there are still a few gems that shone slightly brighter in '07.

Top 5 Comedies:

5. "The Simpsons" - It's still one of the best shows on TV after all this time, and it managed to avoid the lull suffered by "South Park" following the release of its first film. This year Homer was allowed to be a bit smarter than in seasons past, and it returned to more of the satirical humor tha...

British comedian Ricky Gervais will be fruitlessly searching under the Christmas tree for a gift from his writing partner Stephen Merchant - because his pal hasn't bought him a present.

The Emmy-winning actor, who co-created the hit TV comedies The Office and Extras with Gervais, admits the longtime collaborators are in each other's company so often, they usually forgo the gift-giving tradition.

Merchant, 33, says, "I don't think I've ever bought him a present. We see each other so much that we kind of forget that stuff really. I'll probably buy him some vouchers."

(This new...

In 2006, television asserted itself as the premier of visual literature in present-day America. Our sets burst forth with so much art that they put the current cinema and recycled shows of the stage to shame.

2007 saw a decided step back for TV as a medium with several great shows either coming to an end, being canceled, or losing there way. The new crop of shows the networks trotted out in the fall did little to build upon the incredible year enjoyed by TV in 2006 and was instead cause for a reversal of course.

Despite the troubling year on the small screen, it was still easy...

"Extras: The Extra Special Series" closes out the hilarious series with Andy Millman the 40-something-year-old actor who is finally able to claim the fame and money he has worked so hard for.

But now, after three numbing seasons of the popular British sitcom "When the Whistle Blows," Andy is fed up with low brow anecdotes. Between over used catch phrases, over-sized sunglasses and horrible sales for his look-a-like doll, Andy is eager to break free from his TV stereotype. Striving to gain respect, he is ready to make certain changes that will turn his life upside down. However, due to...

British funnyman Ricky Gervais has praised George Michael's willingness to poke fun at his recent sex scandals.

The Careless Whisper singer makes a cameo in a forthcoming Christmas episode of the comedian's TV program Extras, in which he is seen cruising a park for gay sex.

Gervais, 46, tells Heat magazine, "What we get him to do is incredible - so close to the truth - but he was willing to do that.

"But that's why George Michael has survived - because when he's caught cruising (London park) Hampstead Heath, he doesn't curl into a ball and flog himself, he goes on (U.K. chats...

Let's face it. At one point or another, we all love to check out what celebrities are wearing, especially when it comes to red carpet events. Some girls know how to work it. Some boys know how to make it. And some stars just can't get it together.

Girls who work it:

At the DKNY Delicious Night Fragrance Launch Party on Nov. 7, the ever changing Christina Ricci was certainly working it, looking fabulous in a flowy come-kiss-me lipstick red dress. Christina kept it simple yet still tres chic by wearing black pumps and carrying a black clutch to compliment her outfit.

At the s...

Steve Carell has no intention of handing over the Emmy Award he claimed on behalf of pal Ricky Gervais because the Brit wasn't there to accept it.

Gervais won his second Emmy earlier this year when he was named Best Comedy Actor for his performance in Extras - but he was working in London and couldn't attend the glitzy affair in Los Angeles, so Carell accepted the honour.

And the star of America's The Office - the show which Gervais created in Britain - plans to keep the prestigious award.

Carell says, "My idea is, if you're going to win it, you have to show up. If you don...

Winners in major categories for the 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards announced by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (in bold):

Drama Series: ''Boston Legal,'' ABC; ''Grey's Anatomy,'' ABC; ''Heroes,'' NBC; ''House,'' Fox; ''The Sopranos,'' HBO.

Comedy Series: ''Entourage,'' HBO; ''The Office,'' NBC; ''30 Rock, NBC; ''Two and a Half Men,'' CBS; ''Ugly Betty,'' ABC.

Miniseries: ''Broken Trail,'' AMC; ''Prime Suspect: The Final Act (Masterpiece Theatre), PBS; ''The Starter Wife,'' USA.

Made-for-TV Movie: ''Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,'' HBO; ''Inside the Twin Tow...

The long-running ABC sitcom Bewitched starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens, a pert, perky, suburban housewife who happened to be a genuine witch, with all the usual magical powers. A mere mortal, her husband Darrin insisted that Samantha behave like an ordinary human being, and that she keep her witchcraft under wraps at all times. Season 5 is now on DVD. Also in stores: seasons 2 of Beauty & The Beast and Extras.

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has lavished praise on Ricky Gervais - because he was a joy to work with. The Extras star appeared in a cameo role on the hit animated series as well as penning an entire episode after Groening invited the British funnyman to lend his skills to the show.

He says, "I loved working with Ricky Gervais. He wrote his own episode and it made my life easier because I didn't have to write it."

-Info On The Simpsons Movie

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

Comedy stars Ricky Gervaisand Victoria Wood have been nominated for acting prizes at the forthcoming British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) TV awards. U.S. series' House, Lost, Entourage and My Name Is Earl all feature in the international category.

Gervais is nominated for Best Comedy Performance for his hit series Extras, which featured stars Robert De Niro, David Bowie and Coldplay's Chris Martin.

Victoria Wood gained a record 12th BAFTA television award nomination for her role in drama Housewife, 49. Actors Jim Broadbent and Andy Serkis have received Best Actor ...