Ricky Gervais took no prisoners as he opened the Golden Globes with a joke about Prince Andrew and a lewd gag at the expense of Dame Judi Dench.
Hollywood had been braced for the controversial comedian’s return and he did not disappoint, with his opening monologue being met with a series of gasps.
Stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro watched on as Gervais said it was a “big year for paedophile movies”, mentioning Surviving R Kelly and Leaving Neverland, before adding “The Two Popes”.
Gervais then moved onto Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood but complained it was too long.
“Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere and by the end, his date was too old for him,” Gervais joked.
Amid laughter from the star-studded audience, Gervais added: “Even Prince Andrew is like, ‘come on Leo mate, you’re nearly 50, son’.”
Gervais then turned his fire onto the box office bomb Cats, saying: “The world got to see James Corden as a fat pussy. He was also in the movie cats, but no one saw that.”
The comedian then made a lewd joke about Corden’s Cats co-star Dame Judi Dench.
She defended the film, Gervais said, because “it was the role she was born to play”.
“I can’t do this one,” Gervais sniggered, before delivering the punchline.
“Because she loves nothing better than plonking herself down on the carpet… and licking her own minge.”
He then made a gagging sound, adding “fur balls”.
After Gervais had finished with his opening monologue, the first award of the night was handed out.
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon presented it to Ramy Youssef who won best actor in a TV comedy or musical.
Youssef said it was “thanks to my God and Hulu.”
He told the ballroom: “I know you guys haven’t seen my show, everyone is like ‘Is this an editor?’
“We made a very specific show about an Arab Muslim family living in New Jersey and this means a lot to be recognised at this level.”
Russell Crowe won the best actor in a limited series prize for The Loudest Voice, but Aniston said he was not present because he was “at home in Australia, protecting his family from the devastating bushfires” but had sent a message, saying: “Make no mistake, the tragedy taking place in Australia is climate change-based.”