Editing Ricky Gervais (section)

===Charity work===
In 2002, Gervais took part in a charity [[boxing]] match against [[Grant Bovey]], for the UK charity telethon ''[[Comic Relief]]''. He was trained for the three-round contest by boxing trainer siblings [[Kellie Maloney|Kellie]] and Eugene Maloney, at their Fight Factory gymnasium. It was the second televised charity boxing match, the first being [[Bob Mortimer]] against [[Les Dennis]]. The fight was televised by the BBC, and Gervais came out on top by a [[split decision]] verdict.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1417456/Rocky-Gervais-has-a-knockout-paunch.html |title=Ricky Gervais Has a Knockout Paunch |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |first=Tom |last=Leonard |access-date=31 January 2015 |location=London |date=31 December 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403105120/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1417456/Rocky-Gervais-has-a-knockout-paunch.html |archive-date=3 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://kickass.so/ricky-gervais-the-fight-boxing-match-2002-avi-t2375100.html |title=Ricky Gervais The Fight (2002 Boxing Match) avi |publisher=Kickass.so |first=Tom |last=Leonard |access-date=31 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016221915/http://kickass.so/ricky-gervais-the-fight-boxing-match-2002-avi-t2375100.html |archive-date=16 October 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> He donated his £5,000 prize money to the training of a [[Macmillan Cancer Support|Macmillan nurse]] who specialised in cancer support.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1417456/Rocky-Gervais-has-a-knockout-paunch.html |title=Ricky Gervais has a knockout punch |first=Tom |last=Leonard |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=31 December 2002 |access-date=12 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117062913/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1417456/Rocky-Gervais-has-a-knockout-paunch.html |archive-date=17 November 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Gervais is a supporter of animal rights and has stated that he will leave his fortune to animal charities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecorazzi.com/2010/03/10/ricky-gervais-to-leave-fortune-to-animal-charities/|title=Ricky Gervais to Leave Fortune to Animal Charities|publisher=Ecorazzi.com|first=Michael|last=dEstries|access-date=24 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093301/http://www.ecorazzi.com/2010/03/10/ricky-gervais-to-leave-fortune-to-animal-charities/|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Gervais named an [[Asian black bear]], also known as a moonbear, Derek, after the protagonist from his series ''Derek''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/media/news/news-archive/ricky-gervais-names-rescued-bear-after-comedy-creation.html|title=Ricky Gervais adopts Peace by Piece bear|publisher=Animal Asia|access-date=24 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128113047/https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/media/news/news-archive/ricky-gervais-names-rescued-bear-after-comedy-creation.html|archive-date=28 January 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2013, Gervais bought a $1000 cake shaped like a moonbear to raise funds for Animal Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london24.com/news/ricky_gervais_flinches_from_cutting_too_cute_bear_shaped_cake_1_3110878|title=Ricky Gervais flinches from cutting 'too cute' bear-shaped cake|publisher=London24|access-date=24 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016221915/http://www.london24.com/news/ricky_gervais_flinches_from_cutting_too_cute_bear_shaped_cake_1_3110878|archive-date=16 October 2015}}</ref> Gervais is active in the prevention of illegal wildlife trade; he supported the handing over of ivory trinkets to the Metropolitan police in London.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/10/ricky-gervais-public-unwanted-wildlife-products|title=Ricky Gervais calls for public to hand in unwanted wildlife products|work=The Guardian|first=Adam|last=Vaughan|access-date=24 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216004915/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/10/ricky-gervais-public-unwanted-wildlife-products|archive-date=16 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2015, Gervais donated a signed acoustic guitar to help raise funds for Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary in Ontario, Canada, with a special call-out to [[Pockets Warhol (capuchin monkey)|Pockets Warhol]].<ref name="TweetGuitar">{{cite web|last1=Gervais|first1=Ricky|title=Ricky Gervais tweets about donating guitar|url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIc_x_xWgAAGzcK.png:large|website=Twitter|access-date=2 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303125646/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIc_x_xWgAAGzcK.png:large|archive-date=3 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ebayguitar">{{cite web|title=Ricky Gervais – Personally Owned, Played/Used, and Signed Acoustic Guitar|url=http://www.ebay.ca/itm/181975883211|website=eBay|access-date=2 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303122552/http://www.ebay.ca/itm/181975883211|archive-date=3 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TorStar20161216">{{cite news|last1=Casey|first1=Liam|title=Ricky Gervais' guitar raises $6,000 for Ikea monkey's sanctuary|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/01/15/ricky-gervais-guitar-raises-6000-for-ikea-monkeys-sanctuary.html|access-date=2 March 2017|agency=Canadian Press|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=15 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303124121/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/01/15/ricky-gervais-guitar-raises-6000-for-ikea-monkeys-sanctuary.html|archive-date=3 March 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The guitar, which was signed by Gervais, was purchased by Danny Young from the United Kingdom, who has since had the guitar signed by several celebrities in order to raise further funds for the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary. Celebrities who signed the guitar include: [[Brian May]], [[Will Ferrell]], [[Bryan Cranston]], [[Dhani Harrison]], [[Peter Frampton]], [[Ricky Warwick]] and [[Steve Cutts]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/01/15/ricky-gervais-guitar-raises-6000-for-ikea-monkeys-sanctuary.html|title=Ricky Gervais' guitar raises $6,000 for Ikea monkey's sanctuary {{!}} The Star|work=thestar.com|access-date=18 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174739/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/01/15/ricky-gervais-guitar-raises-6000-for-ikea-monkeys-sanctuary.html|archive-date=18 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://hub.united.com/united-customer-embarks-rock-tour-2528886210.html|title=Customer Danny Young embarks on a rock royalty tour on United|date=26 January 2018|work=United Hub|access-date=18 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174352/https://hub.united.com/united-customer-embarks-rock-tour-2528886210.html|archive-date=18 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/seymour-duncan-guitar-demonstrator-danny-young-of-banbury-has-won-ricky-gervais-guitar-to-raise-money-for-a-primate-sanctuary-1-7170030|title=Seymour Duncan guitar demonstrator Danny Young, of Banbury, has won Ricky Gervais guitar to raise money for a primate sanctuary|access-date=18 July 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180718174717/https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/seymour-duncan-guitar-demonstrator-danny-young-of-banbury-has-won-ricky-gervais-guitar-to-raise-money-for-a-primate-sanctuary-1-7170030|archive-date=18 July 2018 |url-status= live}}</ref>

In 2017, Gervais was awarded the Lord Houghton Award for Service to Animal Welfare from [[Animal Defenders International]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Ricky Gervais receives top award from animal welfare champions: 'The suffering Sickens me'|url= https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/790645/Ricky-Gervais-receives-top-award-animal-welfare-champions-cruelty|work=Daily Express |first=Stuart|last=Winter|access-date=25 February 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180226162647/https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/790645/Ricky-Gervais-receives-top-award-animal-welfare-champions-cruelty|archive-date=26 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Gervais was also awarded the [[Humane Society International]] Cecil Award in 2018 for his frequent social media efforts to end trophy hunting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hsi.org/news-media/ricky-gervais-to-be-awarded-110818/|title=Ricky Gervais to be awarded Humane Society International's Cecil Award at New York Gala to honor his campaigning to end trophy hunting | publisher = HSI |date= 8 November 2018|access-date=17 March 2020}}</ref>

In 2021, Gervais joined the [[Rewriting Extinction]] campaign to fight the climate and biodiversity crisis through comics.<ref>{{cite news |last=Turns |first=Anna |date=14 September 2021 |title=Rewriting extinction: Ricky Gervais joins celebrities creating comics to save species |work=The Guardian |url= https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/14/rewriting-extinction-ricky-gervais-joins-celebrities-with-comic-to-save-species-aoe |access-date=9 August 2023 |issn=}}</ref> Gervais created the comic story "Bullfight" in collaboration with the illustrator [[Rob Steen]]. The comic was released in the book ''The Most Important Comic Book on Earth: Stories to Save the World'' on 28 October 2021 by [[DK (publisher)|DK]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Most Important Comic Book on Earth: Stories to Save the World |publisher=DK |year=2021 |isbn=978-0241513514}}</ref>