Ricky Gervais "doesn't lose sleep" about how popular he is.

The 50-year-old comedian - who is famed for his cutting remarks to celebrities while hosting the Golden Globes and his use of offensive terms - does not want to be a "national treasure" and will not tone down his work so he can be more popular.

"There's only so many nods and winks you can do to reassure people. I can't go round doing anodyne comedy and trying to become a national treasure. Nothing bores me more. I don't lose sleep over being popular; I lose sleep over knowing I did something wrong. And I don't think I've done anything wrong. I like dealing with original subjects, taboo subjects, misunderstood subjects. I like to take the audience to places it hasn't been before."

Despite sticking to his feelings on comedy, Ricky does admit he may come "unstuck" one day if he pushes things too far: "I'm not a politician, I'm trying to make people laugh. But I want them to laugh at things I find funny. I know I might come unstuck. I look at it in quite a Darwinian way: I'm going to do exactly what I want, and see if I survive."