Ricky Gervais has reportedly employed additional security guards following the shock attack on Sir Salman Rushdie earlier this month.
Celebrated and controversial author Rushdie, 75, was left severely injured after being stabbed multiple times by a man who stormed the stage as he was giving a lecture in New York.
Gervais - known for his risqué comedy - is currently performing a series of small gigs at the Leicester Square Theatre in London, but The Sun says that he has been forced to step up his personal security at the venue following the attack on Rushdie.
"Ricky isn't taking any chances. He has employed his own security guards for the gigs so he can have a laugh and relax in the knowledge that he's safe," a source told the newspaper.
"He hasn't wasted any expense. They're the real deal and are positioned in the aisles and around the stage, keeping a close eye on audience members.
"The venue is also doing a lot for general safety as audience members are to be searched before entry and no glasses or bottles are to be served by the venue. It seems like everyone is taking precautions. It's necessary in these times."
Gervais courted controversy earlier this year with jokes about the trans community in his Netflix stand-up show SuperNature.
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