RICKY Gervais has beefed up his team of private security guards following the stabbing of Sir Salman Rushdie to make sure nobody can get to him on stage.
The 61-year-old comedian has been performing a series of intimate shows at London’s Leicester Square Theatre to try out new material ahead of his next tour and Netflix special Armageddon.
But the concerned star added more members to the small team last week in the wake of the knife attack on Rushdie in the US.
The 75-year-old writer was stabbed on a lecture stage in New York state on August 12 and was left with a damaged liver and severed nerves in an arm and an eye.
It came after American stand-up Dave Chappelle, 48, was also attacked on stage by a man with a knife in LA in May.
Ricky came under fire earlier this year when he made controversial jokes about transgender people in his Netflix SuperNature show, with US LGBTQ rights group Glaad calling it “dangerous”.
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A source said: “Ricky isn’t taking any chances. He has employed his own security guards for the gigs so he can have a laugh and relax in the knowledge that he’s safe.
“He hasn’t wasted any expense. They’re the real deal and are positioned in the aisles and around the stage, keeping a close eye on audience members.
“The venue is also doing a lot for general safety as audience members are to be searched before entry and no glasses or bottles are to be served by the venue. It seems like everyone is taking precautions. It’s necessary in these times.”
Ricky, who lives in Hampstead, North West London, with partner Jane Fallon, 61, said he still has 20 minutes of the upcoming show to finalise, meaning he will not be returning to full-size stadium venues quite yet.
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He tweeted this week: “After about 40 #Armageddon new material nights I have about 45 minutes I’m really happy with. Need at least another 20 before I start putting full price gigs on sale.”
Talking about the controversy over his previous stand-up routine, the Afterlife and Office creator said: “It was a big backlash.
“Everyone was really cross with me with people saying you can’t say that — but I can, I did. Yes, I did.
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“And then it became the most watched special of the year, so I’ve learnt my lesson!”
Hadi Matar, 24, was arrested for the attack on Rushdie and has denied attempted murder.
