Back for more: It is the fifth time the 58-year-old comedian has emceed the gala as he has done previously from 2010 to 2012 and once again in 2016 (pictured).
Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, and Gwyneth Paltrow were left with stunned looks on their faces as Gervais mocked Felicity Huffman over the college admission scandal, branded James Corden a 'massive p****' and ripped Judi Dench for 'licking her own a***hole' in his eight-minute speech.
In a particularly blunt moment, Gervais advised those receiving awards to avoid making political speeches because 'you're in no position to the public about anything' before adding: 'If you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God and f*** off.'
The British comic, hosting for the fifth time, underlined his point by jesting: 'You say you're woke but the companies you work for in China — unbelievable. Apple, Amazon, Disney. If ISIS started a streaming service you'd call your agent, wouldn't you?'
Social media lit up with posts praising Gervais's take-downs of the Hollywood establishment, relishing in the uncomfortable reactions from those in the room - though others found his jokes hard to stomach.
Following the controversy were the awards themselves - which saw Sam Mendes win best director for 1917, which also won best film. Renée Zellweger and Joaquin Phoenix scooped the best actress and actor awards for Judy and Joker, while Once Upon a Time in Hollywood won in the best picture - musical or comedy category.
In one moment which shocked the stars in the crowd, Gervais makes a pointed remark about the death of pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
He said: '[Netflix series Afterlife] is a show about a man who wants to kill himself .... Spoiler alert, season two is on the way so he didn't kill himself...just like Jeffrey Epstein.'
As the audience gasped, he doubled down on the remarks, saying: 'Shut up. I know he's your friend, but I don't care.'
Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York, in August while awaiting trial on numerous sex offences. An autopsy found he had hanged himself.
Comment: That's only half the story and hence the "joke". See: Former New York City medical examiner says Epstein's autopsy more consistent with homicidal strangulation
Gervais also slammed hypocrite Hollywood stars for working for companies with controversial rights records while claiming to be 'woke', and warned winners against making political acceptance speeches.
He blasted: 'You say you're woke, but the companies you work for are unbelievable. Apple, Amazon, Disney - If ISIS started a streaming service you'd call your agent wouldn't you.
'So if you do win an award tonight don't use it as a platform to make a political speech. You're in no position to lecture the public about anything.
'You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.
'So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your god and then f**k off.'
He also claimed that Apple, who began their streaming site in 2019, used 'sweatshops' to make their products, as owner Tim Cook watched from the crowd.
Gervais, 58, also took aim at specific people including actress Felicity Huffman who was jailed over her role in the college admissions scandal this year.
'You came here in your limos. I came in a limo tonight and the license plate was made by Felicity Huffman,' he continued, as the cameras panned to a shocked crowd.
Huffman recently completed an 11-day stint in jail after she pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to get one of her daughters into college.
Gervais continued: 'It's her daughter I feel sorry for. That must be the most embarrassing thing to happen to her, and her dad was in Wild Hogs.'
Several audience members broke out into shocked laughter, with Tom Hanks looking stunned.
Gervais, who has not hosted in the #MeToo era before, took a shot there too.
He said there was a wide variety of stars in the room, and they all have one thing in common: 'They´re all afraid of Ronan Farrow,' Gervais said.
New Yorker writer Farrow played a key role in outing sexual misconductin Hollywood and exposing disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein.
Later in the show, Gervais introduced a clip for the film Birdbox, describing it as 'a movie where people survive by acting like they don't see a thing. Sort of like working for Harvey Weinstein.'
Gervais also mocked what he described as 'pedophile movies.'
'Talking of all you perverts, it was a big year for pedophile movies. Surviving R Kelly, Leaving Neverland, Two Popes,' he says, before breaking down at his own joke.
'Shut up,' he told the stunned crowd, 'I don't care.'
He then turned to Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio to poke fun at the age gap between him and the women he dates.
He said: 'Once Upon a Time In Hollywood [is] nearly three hours long. Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere and by the end his date was too old for him.'
Cameras caught Leo's reaction. It seemed the actor - who is currently dating 22-year-old Camila Morrone - was able to poke fun at himself, blushing and smiling while the rest of the room cracked up.
Amid laughter from the star-studded audience, Gervais added: 'Even Prince Andrew is like, ''come on Leo mate, you're nearly 50, son''.'
The Duke of York has faced intense public scrutiny over his relationship with convicted pedophile Epstein.
Andrew, 59, strenuously denies having sex with the financier's 'sex slave' Virginia Roberts and claims he can't remember meeting her despite a photograph of him with his arm around her.
Gervais set his sights on James Corden, who recently took part in the poorly reviewed movie Cats.
'I don't care anymore!' Read Ricky Gervais's Golden Globes opening monologue in full'The world got to see James Corden as a fat p****. He was also in the movie Cats, but no one saw that.'
Hello and welcome to the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards, live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel here in Los Angeles. I'm Ricky Gervais, thank you.
You'll be pleased to know this is the last time I'm hosting these awards, so I don't care anymore. I'm joking. I never did. I'm joking, I never did. NBC clearly don't care either — fifth time. I mean, Kevin Hart was fired from the Oscars for some offensive tweets — hello?
Lucky for me, the Hollywood Foreign Press can barely speak English and they've no idea what Twitter is, so I got offered this gig by fax. Let's go out with a bang, let's have a laugh at your expense. Remember, they're just jokes. We're all gonna die soon and there's no sequel, so remember that.
But you all look lovely all dolled up. You came here in your limos. I came here in a limo tonight and the license plate was made by Felicity Huffman. No, shush. It's her daughter I feel sorry for. OK? That must be the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to her. And her dad was in Wild Hogs.
Lots of big celebrities here tonight. Legends. Icons. This table alone — Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro ... Baby Yoda. Oh, that's Joe Pesci, sorry. I love you man. Don't have me whacked.
But tonight isn't just about the people in front of the camera. In this room are some of the most important TV and film executives in the world. People from every background. They all have one thing in common: They're all terrified of Ronan Farrow. He's coming for ya.
Talking of all you perverts, it was a big year for pedophile movies. Surviving R. Kelly, Leaving Neverland, Two Popes. Shut up. Shut up. I don't care. I don't care.
Many talented people of color were snubbed in major categories. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about that. Hollywood Foreign press are all very racist. Fifth time. So. We were going to do an In-Memoriam this year, but when I saw the list of people who died, it wasn't diverse enough. No, it was mostly white people and I thought, nah, not on my watch. Maybe next year. Let's see what happens.
No one cares about movies anymore. No one goes to cinema, no one really watches network TV.Everyone is watching Netflix. This show should just be me coming out, going, 'Well done Netflix. You win everything. Good night.' But no, we got to drag it out for three hours.
You could binge-watch the entire first season of Afterlife instead of watching this show. That's a show about a man who wants to kill himself cause his wife dies of cancer and it's still more fun than this. Spoiler alert, season two is on the way so in the end he obviously didn't kill himself. Just like Jeffrey Epstein. Shut up. I know he's your friend but I don't care.
Seriously, most films are awful. Lazy. Remakes, sequels. I've heard a rumor there might be a sequel to Sophie's Choice. I mean, that would just be Meryl just going, 'Well, it's gotta be this one then.'
All the best actors have jumped to Netflix, HBO. And the actors who just do Hollywood movies now do fantasy-adventure nonsense. They wear masks and capes and really tight costumes. Their job isn't acting anymore. It's going to the gym twice a day and taking steroids, really. Have we got an award for most ripped junky? No point, we'd know who'd win that.
Martin Scorsese made the news for his controversial comments about the Marvel franchise. He said they're not real cinema and they remind him about theme parks. I agree. Although I don't know what he's doing hanging around theme parks. He's not big enough to go on the rides. He's tiny.
The Irishman was amazing. It was amazing. It was great. Long, but amazing. It wasn't the only epic movie. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, nearly three hours long. Leonardo DiCaprio attended the premiere and by the end his date was too old for him. Even Prince Andrew was like, 'Come on, Leo, mate.You're nearly 50-something.'
The world got to see James Corden as a fat p****. He was also in the movie Cats. No one saw that movie. And the reviews, shocking. I saw one that said, 'This is the worst thing to happen to cats since dogs.' But Dame Judi Dench defended the film saying it was the role she was born to play because she loves nothing better than plunking herself down on the carpet, lifting her leg and licking her a***hole. (Coughs) Hairball. She's old-school.
It's the last time, who cares? Apple roared into the TV game with The Morning Show, a superb drama about the importance of dignity and doing the right thing, made by a company that runs sweatshops in China. Well, you say you're woke but the companies you work for in China — unbelievable. Apple, Amazon, Disney. If ISIS started a streaming service you'd call your agent, wouldn't you?
So if you do win an award tonight, don't use it as a platform to make a political speech. You're in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg.
So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God and f*** off, OK? It's already three hours long. Right, let's do the first award.
Critics and audience alike have mocked the musical-turned-movie. It has received a 21 per cent Rotten Tomato score and inspiring thousands of ridiculing memes despite the all-star cast.
Gervais continued with an expletive filled joke about Judi Dench, who also starred in the panned movie.
'Dame Judi Dench defended the film saying it was the role she was born to play because she loves nothing better than plunking herself down on the carpet, lifting her leg and licking her a******.'
It is the fifth time Gervais has emceed the gala, after previously fronting the show from 2010 to 2012 and once again in 2016.
The 58-year-old British comedian sat down for a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter as he discussed the difficulty in balancing comedy with political correctness and Hollywood egos.
When asked if he had any particular targets for this year's jokes, the comic insisted he wouldn't be zeroing in on any one star.
'I don't think this time [any] individuals are [in the firing line],' he said.
'I think I'll go after the general community.'
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