Ricky & Stephen still together, still laughing

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have proved their working relationship is as fresh as ever with their first feature film.

After Gervais failed to set the film world on fire with The Invention of Lying, which he co-wrote and directed, early reviews for Cemetery Junction are positive, with critics heaping praise on both the cast and the script.

"The great thing as well is there's just enough of him," said Stephen Merchant. "Because if you're not a fan of Ricky, and I suspect you're not, he's not in it a huge amount I think you'll notice.

"But he's in it just enough if you're one of the few people who does like him!"

Gervais takes on a fairly minor role, with most of the cast made up of fresh young newcomers including Christian Cooke, Tom Hughes and Jack Doolan.

Cemetery Junction is a coming-of-age tale, set in 1970s Reading. It is out now.