The British comedian who shot to fame with BBC hit The Office and earned notoriety in Hollywood as the host of several Golden Globe ceremonies will receive the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy.

Gervais will collect the honour at the British Academy Britannia Awards on October 28 in Beverly Hills.

The winner of numerous Golden Globes, Primetime Emmys and BAFTAs recently starred in the Netflix original film Special Correspondents and will next be seen in his mockumentary, David Brent: Life On The Road.

Netflix holds global rights to the latter, excluding the UK and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and will debut the film in 2017.

As previously announced, Ang Lee – likely to be in the awards season mix with his upcoming adaptation of Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing, and Samuel L. Jackson the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment. 

“Ricky Gervais is a comic genius,” said BAFTA Los Angeles CEO Chantal Rickards. “He is provocative, edgy, and his observations on life have brought us some of the best comedy moments ever in television and film.

“He crosses the pond with consummate ease, continues to push the comedic boundaries, and we’re looking forward to raising a glass to his incomparable talents at the Britannia Awards.”