Comedian and actor Greg Davies has said he could not say no to hosting the BAFTA TV awards.
The 57-year old, known for co-hosting the hit comedy gameshow Taskmaster, will take the stage on Sunday for the annual television award show.
Following in the footsteps of Graham Norton, Lenny Henry and Michael Parkinson, Davies said it was an opportunity he could not turn down.
Speaking to The Times, he said: "It's one of those things you can’t say no to.
"I used to watch Stephen Fry at the (film) BAFTAs and marvel at his cool, intellectual charm.
"I won’t be bringing that."
The presenter does not expect any surprises at the award ceremony following an incident at the film awards in February where Tourette Syndrome activist John Davidson was heard shouting a racial slur at Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo as they were presenting.
The involuntary verbal tic was not edited out of the BBC broadcast, which had a two-hour time delay.
Davies said: "I don’t know what happened there but I’m sure they’ve got it in hand so that everybody has a nice time.
"I don’t anticipate there’ll be any surprises but if there are, we’ll be fine, we’ll roll with it."
His opening monologue, he said, will unlikely cause controversy, adding that he would be "very surprised if there’s much in my monologue that’s going to horrify anyone".
The former teacher is also known for starring in all three series two subsequent films of the coming-of-age sitcom, The Inbetweeners.
Playing the sadistic Mr Gilbert, Davies said he hopes the co-creators, Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, decide to make a third film after it was announced last year that they had struck a deal to unlock the title rights.
Originally broadcast on E4 between 2008 and 2010, the series follows the misadventures of teenager Will MacKenzie and his friends Simon Cooper, Neil Sutherland and Jay Cartwright.
Speaking about the possibility of a third film, he said: "God, I hope they do.
"I’d be so excited. If I’m not in it, there’ll be consequences for several individuals.
"I don’t know what Iain and Damon have got planned but I would find it very hard to believe that we’re not going to see fairly similar characters."
Despite being a supporting character, Davies’ role has made an impact with fans, calling him out on a nearly "daily basis".
He said: "All three series and both films — honestly, it can’t have been more than three weeks’ work for me but people still shout, 'Gilbert!’ at me in the street on a near daily basis."
In October, Banijay UK and Fudge Park Productions, the company founded by the series’ writers and creators, struck a deal for the rights of the comedy title with the potential for its return across film, TV and stage.
Navigating school, friendship, lad culture and failed sexual encounters, the award-winning series starred Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison.
The cast reprised their roles, following the success of the show, for two films which were released in 2011 and 2014.
Source: Press Association
