As Britain's biggest comedian, Ricky Gervais is more than used to being asked for pictures. But it was his turn to request a photo when he spotted two policemen in London this week.After dining out at Murano restaurant in Mayfair with his long-term partner Jane Fallon, the funnyman spotted a couple of armed officers - and immediately approached them to ask for a snap.
They happily obliged, posing next to the cheeky star to his obvious delight.Ricky, 50, and Jane's dinner date may well have been in celebration of his new show Derek.Last month Channel 4 confirmed it has commissioned a full series of the comedy drama, after its pilot episode drew in 3.2 million viewers when it aired in April.
It is due to be screened next year and will again be written and directed by The Office star Ricky.He will also reprise his role as Derek Noakes, a "simple, vulnerable man" who is an autograph hunter working in a retirement home.Speaking about the show, which drew some criticism when it first aired, Ricky described Derek as an "absolute joy to write because I have left the veil of irony behind.""The characters in Derek are the people you see every day on the margins of society," he told Metro.
"A bunch of strange people who are thrown together but always try to do the right thing. "Derek says 'I'm not intelligent or good looking but I'm kind'. Kindness is the only short cut… Derek is us before we lost out innocence and adopted a 'What's in it for me?' attitude."