Ricky Gervais reveals cancer scares

Ricky Gervais has revealed that he has had two cancer scares since his mother died of lung cancer seven years ago.

The comedian has now admitted that he has had to be checked out by a doctor a couple of times because he feared he could have the disease as well.

Gervais told Tesco magazine: "After my mum died, I twice thought I'd found a lump. Luckily it was nothing, but it scares you. It's better to be safe than sorry.

"You can have the best life in the world and it all means nothing if you haven't got your health.

"It's a real working class male preserve not to go to the doctor. But if I get the slightest illness I think I'm going to die."

He also claimed that he now works out to keep healthy and make up for eating and drinking in excess. He added: "I do it so I can live longer and eat more cheese."