Golden Globes: No Truth to Ricky Gervais Return as Host in 2012 (EXCLUSIVE)

Phil Berk, the head of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, has denied that Ricky Gervais was asked to return to the Golden Globes in 2012.

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"There is no truth to this rumor. We have not asked him to come back. Nice try, Ricky," Berk said in a statement.

Ricky Gervais wrote on his blog Tuesday that he was asked him to host the Golden Globes for the third time next year.

"The ratings were up again and the organizers asked me to consider a third year," he wrote in a comic-book blog featured in Heat magazine and on his website.

"I don't think I should," said Gervais, who came under fire for his controversial jokes. "I don't know what I could do better. I certainly couldn't get more press for them, that's for sure."

After Berk's statement was released, a spokesperson for Gervais responded: "Ricky is horrified that people think that he had said the HFPA had requested him back. He never said this. He said that the show’s organisers, in this case — NBC, called him and said he should not rule out a return for a third time. Ricky at no point mentioned this was the HFPA and called Philip Berk earlier today to explain this to him."

Directly following the Jan. 16 show, Berk told The Hollywood Reporter that Gervais had "definitely crossed the line" during the show with jokes about gay Scientologists and the well-documented problems of Robert Downey Jr. Downey Jr. called the show "hugely mean-spirited."

"Some of the things were totally unacceptable. But that's Ricky," Berk told THR.

"Any of the references to individuals is certainly not something the Hollywood Foreign Press condones," he added.

When asked at the time if he would recommend that Gervais come back in 2012, Berk responded with a "no comment."