Ricky Gervais discusses 'awful' celebrity rendition of 'Imagine' by Gal Gadot and other A-listers

Intended to lift public spirits, the song backfired when it was shared on social media last month  
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Lucy Pavia24 April 2020

Gal Gadot’s well-meaning celebrity performance of ‘Imagine’ - which saw a range of stars sing lines from the John Lennon song in an attempt to lift public spirits - did not have the desired effect when it was shared at the beginning of lockdown last month.

While some called it ‘toe-curling’, others accused its A-list participants (which included Kristen Wiig, Jamie Dornan and Will Ferrell) of self-promotion.

Never shy with his thoughts about the inflated Hollywood bubble, Ricky Gervais has now discussed the rendition in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.

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“That Imagine video, it’s not that bad, they’re probably very nice people,” he said, “It was an awful rendition, but they might have been doing it for good reasons, to help these normal nobodies.”

“But they’re going ‘My film’s coming up and I’m not on telly - I need to be in the public eye’, not all of them but some of them."

“You can see in their eye – ‘I could cry at the beauty of my personality, I’m just so beautiful for doing this’ and everyone sees that - we get it.”

Gervais has previously called out the tone-deaf efforts by some stars to relate to their followers during the lockdown.

He told The Sun earlier this month that he never wanted to “hear people moaning about the welfare state again” after the uncomplaining efforts of frontline workers.

“These people are doing 14-hour shifts and not complaining. Wearing masks, and being left with sores, after risking their own health and their families’ health selflessly,” he said.

“But then I see someone complaining about being in a mansion with a swimming pool. And, you know, honestly, I just don’t want to hear it.”

Season two of Gervais' show After Life is streaming now on Netflix.

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