Ricky Gervais denies reports of ‘awkward encounter’ with Caitlyn Jenner at NTAs
Comedian insists Jenner was ‘lovely and gracious’
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Your support makes all the difference.Ricky Gervais has denied reports that he had an awkward run-in with Caitlyn Jenner at the National Television Awards.
The comedian spoke out on Twitter on Wednesday, saying Jenner was “lovely and gracious” when they met and that there was “no awkwardness”.
Gervais has joked about Jenner several times in the past, in ways that some have deemed transphobic – which Gervais himself has disputed.
After the National Television Awards on Tuesday, Roman Kemp, who appeared with Jenner in a season of I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! last year, told Capital Breakfast that Jenner and Gervais had “the most awkward encounter ever”.
“Ricky Gervais reaches out his hand and says ‘Caitlyn, so lovely to meet you.’ Caitlyn literally looks out the corner of her eyes and goes, ‘Yeah,’” Kemp said.
Gervais has now disputed this account on Twitter, deeming the reports of awkwardness “absolutely false”.
“She was lovely and gracious,” he wrote of Jenner.
“She said she loved my Golden Globes monologue and I said I loved her stint in I’m a Celebrity. And that was it.
“No snubbing. No awkwardness. No rudeness.”
The Independent has contacted Jenner’s team for comment.