Gervais collects more silverware

Ricky Gervais has picked up yet another award for The Office.

He won the best comedy performance title at last night's Royal Television Society awards.

But the show lost out to Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights for best sitcom

Gervais joked: "So I get best performance but Phoenix Nights gets best sitcom - that means everyone else involved in The Office is just dead wood."

Comic Jimmy Carr also had a good night, collecting the accolade for best on-screen newcomer, for his work on E4's Your Face Or Mine.

It tops a successful year for the stand-up after his Perrier award nomination last summer and successful appearances on the Royal Variety Show, the Peter Cook 'Posthumorous' tribute show and the Aspen Comedy Festival.

Jonathan Ross was another winner at last night's awards, held in London, scooping best entertainment performance prize for his chat show and They Think It's All Over.

Published: 19 Mar 2003